The protest, described by participants as a siege, involved over 300 families from the Senjai Pappaa Urani area of Karaikudi in Sivaganga district, who assembled outside the collectorate to press for official recognition of their Kattu Nayakan status.
Traditionally engaged in occupations such as fortune‑telling, the Kattu Nayakan community has been seeking community certificates for several years, a prerequisite for accessing government‑run education scholarships and other benefits.
According to the families, a few years ago an anthropological report was submitted, after which the local Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) at Devakottai rejected their applications for the certificates, a decision that has remained unchallenged until now.
The denial has reportedly prevented many school‑leaving youths from enrolling in higher‑education programmes, prompting the families to stage the sit‑in to highlight the impact on their children's futures.
District Collector P. Akash met the demonstrators, listened to their grievances, and said he had instructed the Sub‑Collector to conduct a fresh field inspection and to review the earlier rejection order before a final decision is taken.
Following the collector’s assurances, the protesters ended their sit‑in and dispersed, while awaiting the outcome of the renewed inquiry.
If the certificates are eventually granted, the families expect their children to become eligible for scholarships and university admissions; a continued denial could lead to further protests or legal challenges.