The owner of a stone quarry at Thiruvakkarai T.P.S.Durai alias Palaniandi and two others accused of gross human rights violation by forcing two workers to eat faecal matter surrendered in the court on Wednesday and they were later remanded in judicial custody.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Murugesan told The Hindu that all of them were lodged at the Cuddalore Central Prison. They also reportedly handed over to the police the cell phone with which they had captured the incident. However, the victims Vellaiyan (40) and his unnamed co-worker from Tambaram are said to be missing ever since the incident occurred on January 31.
According to the First Information Report filed in the Vanur police station on February 3, Vellaiyan's wife Bhoopathi Ammal (36) alleged that on January 31 (Tuesday) at about 9 a.m. Durai along with Praveen and Suresh came to her house, looking for her husband Vellaiyan.
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They accused him of having stolen a hammer or colluded with his co-worker to steal the hammer from the quarry. They barged into the house and dragged Vellaiyan out and when he sought to know the reason they beat him up.
She further stated that the trio also assaulted her and her parents. Later, they took away household articles and locked the houses.
They took Vellaiyan to the quarry in another vehicle and continued with physical assault.
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Later, “to teach them a lesson” Durai forced both Vellaiyan and his co-worker to eat the faecal matter and recorded it on his cellphone. She alleged that Durai also compelled other workers in the quarry to watch the goings-on.
Unable to bear the sight Bhoopathi Ammal and her parents pleaded with Durai to let Vellaiyan go. But he turned his ire on them by landing punches on their faces.
As Vellaiyan started vomiting out of nausea they left the place. Ever since, the whereabouts of Vellaiyan and his co-worker were not known. Therefore, she requested the police to trace her husband, get back the things taken away by Durai and also their houses and provide security.
‘Monitor quarries'
Meanwhile, V.A. Rameshnathan, director of the Social Awareness Society for Youths, has appealed to the government to keep a close watch on the happenings in the stone quarries to avert any further human rights violations such as continuing bonded labour system, a probe into the alleged misbehaviour of Durai with the women workers, to trace Vellaiyan and his co-worker without any delay and provide for adequate compensation to the family as it is now without the breadwinner.