Salem police on Tuesday evening arrested 18 people for kidnapping a newly-married intercaste couple. While the man managed to escape, the woman still remains missing. Based on a complaint filed by the man, Kolathur police arrested 18 people including the woman’s father and relatives. The group has been remanded under judicial custody.
The couple, P Selvan (25) and J Elamathi (23), hailing from a village in Bhavani, Erode district, married each other in a self-respect ceremony on Monday in Kavalandiyur in Kolathur Block in Salem District. Kavai Eswaran, a member of the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam (DVK) officiated their wedding. While the woman is from the Vanniyar caste, which is classified as an Other Backward Caste, and is from Gurupanayakampalayam near Bhavani in Erode, the man is Dalit and belongs to the Arunthathiyar caste, a Scheduled Caste in the state, and hails from Kavunthapadi in Erode district.
Upon learning about their daughter’s intercaste wedding, about 50 of her family members allegedly forcefully entered Eswaran’s house on Monday night, assaulting him with weapons. The group then proceeded to the place where the couple were staying and abducted all three of them, taking them to a secluded area.
Eswaran and Selvan managed to escape and file a police complaint while the woman still remains missing.
Speaking to TNM, a police official from Kolathur police station, where the complaint was filed says, “We believe the girl’s family is hiding her at one of her relative’s homes.” When TNM enquired if the police have been requested to provide protection to Selvan, they informed us that since he hails from Erode, he will have to make a request with the police in Erode.
First Information Report has been registered under sections 141 (unlawful assembly), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 441 (criminal trespass), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person), 342 (wrongful confinement), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
Also watch: Mysuru forest dept staff take to hand-feeding to save two rescued leopard cubs