COIMBATORE: Tirupur rural police booked a member of the sixth ward for allegedly hurling abuses at Kavundachipudur Panchayat President -- a Dalit woman -- under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2015.
According to sources, the complainant R Selvi, President of Kavundachipudur panchayat in Tirupur, said that the incident happened when she conducted a meeting with ward members to distribute uniform to sanitary workers on May 4. Then, one Kuppusamy, a member of ward 6, reportedly picked up a fight with Selvi for failing to consult him before distributing uniforms. The complainant said that Kuppusamy's attempt to hit her was thwarted by people there. He had also threatened Selvi of dire consequences.
In her complaint, Selvi mentioned that although she and her husband Ramesh met Collector K Vijayakarthikeyan and other police officials seeking action against Kuppusamy on May 4, a case was registered against Kuppusamy, under section 3(1)(r) (intimidates with intent to humiliate a member of the SC/ST in any place within public view) of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act 2015, and sections 294(b) (abusing) and 506(2) (punishment of criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, only on May 7.