A 28-year-old Dalit woman, mother of two children, allegedly committed suicide after she was verbally abused by the parents of a youth, who is accused of attempting to outrage her modesty.
Deepa, was married to Chinnadurai (38), an autorickshaw driver of Periyar Nagar, near Krishnapuram, in Gangavalli and had children aged 10 and eight years.
On Thursday, while Deepa was alone at house, M. Rajiv Gandhi (23) of the same area entered her house in an inebriated condition and attempted to rape her. When she raised alarm, he fled the house.
The couple lodged a complaint with the Gangavalli police, who issued copy of Community Service Register.
On Friday, Rajiv Gandhi’s parents went to Deepa’s house and entered into an altercation with her. They demanded her to withdraw the complaint and abused her verbally.
The police went to her house and pacified them. Upset over the incident, she committed suicide by hanging. The body was sent to Government Hospitalin Attur.
The police registered a case under Sections 294 (b) (uttering obscene words in public place), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 306 (abetment to suicide) of IPC and Section 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act against Rajiv Gandhi and his mother Indira Gandhi, but not against the youth’s father Madheswaran.
Relatives did not agree to postmortem and demanded that the case be registered against Madheswaran and all three be arrested. They alleged that failure by the police to initiate action against the youth and abuse by his parents forced her to commit suicide and blocked the Attur Main Road for 30 minutes. Police pacified them and have detained the youth and his parents.
Superintendent of Police P. Rajan said the Attur DSP would conduct an inquiry and take action against erring police officials.
Those needing counselling could contact State’s health helpline 104 or Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
She was sexually harassed by a youth and then abused by his parents for lodging police complaint
