Former DMK functionary arrested for allegedly driving 26-yr-old woman to suicide

Tamil Nadu police on Monday arrested D Devendran, a former DMK party functionary, in connection with the death of a 26-year-old woman in Chengalpattu district. 

According to the DSP of Madurantakam taluk, Devendran was arrested from Chennai earlier on Monday. He was hiding in Vyasarpadi area in north Chennai when a special team of policemen from Cheyyur arrested him. Devendran was the Kancheepuram South District Edaikazhinadu deputy youth wing organiser of the DMK before he was suspended by the party after this incident happened. His brother D Purushothaman, also a DMK party man, and Devendran are accused of harassing and extorting Sumathi*, who was found dead in her house on June 24. Purushothaman had surrendered to the police a few days ago and was remanded to judicial custody. 

Sumathi’s death was initially suspected to be a suicide but then in the first week of July, her family alleged that they had doubts over her death. Speaking to TNM earlier, Sumathi’s brother had told her that she had marks on her neck and her chest was swollen when she was found dead. After Sumathi’s family protested, the Cheyyur police registered an FIR for abetment of suicide (Section 306 of the IPC) after initially registering a case for suspicious death (section 174 CrPC). 

In the altered FIR, it was stated that Purushothaman got angry and assaulted Sumathi* as her parents were looking for marriage alliances for her. He had allegedly used trigger words against her and drove her to take the extreme step, as per the report. The family had also alleged that Purushothaman and Devendran had filmed Sumathi* while she was taking a bath around a year ago and used that video to threaten her to not get married to anyone else. 

The DMK also suspended Purushothaman from the primary membership of the party for “bringing a bad name” to the party.

(*name changed)