New Delhi

Shahnaz Illyas, an IPS officer posted as Superintendent of Police, Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu, has shown how a bold officer can break caste and social barriers to empower those pushed to the margins.

The incident in V. Alambalam village in Villupuram District was when a group of locals blocked Dalits from entering the village temple during a festival. However, they were let in after SP Shahnaz broke the locks and stood guard to ensure they could pray safely.

Shahnaz first tried to reason with the locals opposing Dalits’ entry into the Varadaraja Perumal temple in V. Alambalam village in Villupuram District during a local festival.

However, since they were adamant and did not see anything wrong in blatant caste discrimination, Shahnaz Illyas personally led a team to break open the locks. They remained there till the discriminated-against people finished praying.

 

 

 

 

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Tension brewed when local Dalit families announced they wanted to offer prayers during a temple festival. In protest, some locals locked the temple gates to keep them out.

Instead of waiting for slow official meetings, SP Shahnaz took direct action. She went to the spot, ordered the illegal locks to be broken, and stood guard, ensuring Dalit residents could walk inside and worship safely.

“The temple is a public place open to everyone. No one can be barred from entering, and everyone has an equal right to pray here”, she announced to the group of locals trying to block the entry of Dalits to the temple.

Shahnaz Illyas

She then stood guard with over 100 police personnel to ensure the families could worship peacefully without fear of retaliation.

Photos and videos of her enforcing the law have gone viral on social media. Shahnaz Illyas is a 2021-batch IPS officer who cleared the UPSC exam on her very first attempt with a rank of 217. Before joining the police force, she worked as an IT engineer for five years.

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She famously prepared for her civil services exams while managing her pregnancy and later caring for her newborn baby. Before her posting in Kallakurichi, she worked in the Chennai Cyber Crime division, where she fought against online fraud and fake loan apps.