THOOTHUKUDI: Seeking protection from the villagers who had ostracised her and her husband, a 71-year-old woman from Mathavankurichi near Udangudi filed a petition during the grievance redressal meeting at the collectorate on Monday.
A committee, led by the village headman, had ostracised them for filing a complaint with the Kulasekarapattinam police regarding their dispute with another villager, claimed the petitioner. The woman, V Radha (71), said her husband, Velayutham, is a palmyra climber.
She claimed one Suyambulingam had damaged the fence of the palmyra grove the couple had leased, trespassed into the property and illegally tapped palm juice. The woman also accused Suyambulingam of issuing death threats to them. However, after they filed a police complaint, the village head allegedly told the couple to apologise to the man, which they denied.
Acting on behalf of the orders of a community association in Chennai, the villagers allegedly ostracised the two, she said, adding that the committee also instructed villagers not to let the couple access tap water and not allow them to attend temple festivals.
Advocate Jeyachandran, who accompanied the petitioner, said the actions of the village head violate the constitutional guarantee, and that the collector must initiate action against them for human rights violations. TNIE’s efforts to reach Collector K Elambahavath proved futile.