A couple who live with their daughter and a high school-going granddaughter claim that they were attacked by their neighbour and that they are living in constant fear of further attacks, as they resisted his attempt to encroach on a piece of government land in front of their house in Paravai.
The family members said Pitchai and her daughter Mala were assaulted by an armed gang on November 28. An injured Pitchai, who retired from Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, is undergoing treatment at the Government Rajaji Hospital. The family members complain that the Samayanallur police have not taken action against the assaulters.
But, the Samayanallur police have registered a case against the neighbour, E. Arjunan, his wife A. Indira, their son A. Dhanapal and 10 others under Indian Penal Code sections for rioting with deadly arms, using abusive language, hurting with deadly weapons, using criminal force on a woman with an intention to outrage her modesty, criminal trespass and criminal intimidation.
The police also booked them under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998.
The problem started last year when Arjunan is said to have dumped garbage on the approach way to the house. He claimed that an Anganwadi was coming in front of their house. However, the Paravai Town Panchayat had denied any such move.
Later, Arjunan forced some of his tenants in the nearby building to dump garbage in the sewers in front of their house. This led to stagnation of sewage. “Arjunan forced the sanitary workers to dump the slush in front of our house. Even the local councillor, Marimuthu, supported him. However, when we complained with the Town Panchayat office, Arjunan forced the workers to take away two of the concrete slabs we have put over the sewerage,” Ms.Mala said.
It was after the intervention of Executive Officer Nedunchezhiyan that the slabs were returned.
The officer promised that the local body workers would not cause any disturbance to the family. “Then, Arjunan and his family members, along with 10 others, barged into our house and attacked us with clubs and rods. Some of them also followed us to the hospital,” she said. The family members said an attempt was being made to take over their property.
However, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Samayanallur) T. Kanthasoruban said they could not arrest the accused as they were absconding.
