COIMBATORE: Sulur police in Coimbatore district have arrested seven persons, including a family of five, for allegedly attempting to abduct a newlywed woman opposing her inter-caste marriage. The victim belongs to a dominant community. She married a man from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community in July this year, and they moved to Coimbatore.
The woman’s family, searching for their whereabouts for the last two months, found they were residing in a village near Sulur. On Wednesday evening, the seven persons arrived there and tried to flee with the girl after assaulting her husband. However, with the support of residents, the newlywed woman escaped from the house. The residents informed the police which swiftly swung into action and arrested the seven based on the victim’s complaint.
The victim, *Aarthi (22), is a native of Othapatti in Uttampalayam taluk of Theni district. She fell in love with *Raman (27) of Allinagaram (in the same district) and they married on July 5, 2025, amid opposition from her family. Sources said that her family strongly opposed their relationship as Raman belongs to the SC community.
After marriage, they came to Coimbatore for their safety and stayed in a rented house at Muthugoundanpudur near Sulur on the outskirts of the district. Aarthi joined as a nurse at a private hospital in the city, while Raman started working in a private firm.
Meanwhile, Aarthi’s family members along with two others on Wednesday came to Muthugoundanpudur and knocked on the door. Upon noticing their arrival, Aarthi locked herself inside. The seven people tried to break open the door. The family allegedly threatened her that they would finish them off. However, Aarthi raised an alarm, and the residents prevented the seven from entering the house and alerted the Sulur police.
A police team, led by inspector M M Selvaragavan, detained the seven suspects. Later the police arrested Aarthi’s father P Anandan, her mother Latha, her uncle Eeswaran, his wife Maheshwari, Aarthi’s brother Prakash, his friends S Vijay and T Adhipan, all hailing from Theni.
The suspects were booked under sections 191(2) (rioting), 296(b) (uttering obscene words), 137(2) (kidnapping) read with 61 (criminal conspiracy), 351(3) (criminal intimidation) of BNS and section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. On Thursday, the police remanded them (based on a court order) in prison.
Further investigation is under way. According to the police, they have given protection to the couple.
(*Names of the victims changed to protect their identity)