MADURAI: The Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) has directed police to give protection to two villages along the border of Pudukkottai and Sivaganga districts following the elopement of a couple belonging to different castes in Malaiyoor village. The court gave the direction while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by a Scheduled Caste man, Raja Manickam, seeking to produce his sister Thavamani in court.
According to the petition, Thavamani’s elder son Tamil Bharathi fell in love with a caste Hindu girl, Selvi, and eloped fearing honour killing by the latter’s family members. On July 13, Selvi’s father, brother and relatives allegedly abducted Thavamani and assaulted her with footwear.
While Thavamani’s relatives filed a complaint with the Malaiyoor police regarding this, Selvi’s family members also filed a complaint at the Kalla police station in Sivaganga stating that she was missing. Hence the petitioner sought protection for Thavamani and others.
Additional public prosecutor submitted that the couple had not turned up before the police for questioning and the petitioner must be aware of their whereabouts. Noting that the parties involves have expressed a threat to life, the bench said, taking account the socio-economic conditions in various parts of the State, “we only deem it fit to direct the police to monitor the criminal cases filed against the two families”.