PUDUKKOTTAI: The Karambakudi Police arrested two men under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (SC/ST) for spitting on and kicking a two-wheeler on which a couple belonging to Scheduled Caste and their two children were travelling.
The incident took place on July 24 in Karambakudi. A 32-year-old woman, who was nine months pregnant, was returning to her house in Ilaikadividuthi with her husband and two children on a two-wheeler after a check-up. Two men who were drunk and riding another bike close-by allegedly spit out, which which fell on the woman.
As per the First Information Report (FIR), the woman’s husband asked the two men why they did so. The men, in turn, asked the couple which village they were from. When the man replied, the two men spit on the woman’s husband.
When the woman protested, they allegedly kicked at their two-wheeler, making the pregnant woman and her children fall off. The woman also alleged that two more people joined the men in hurling abuse at them.
According to activists, though the couple filed a complaint at Karambakudi Police Station, action was not taken till July 28. Activists like Durai Guna visited Collector Kavitha Ramu and SP Nisha Parthiban, urging them to take action against the accused under the SC/ST Act.
Alangudi DSP R Vadivel said the two accused were arrested on Friday under several Sections of the Act. It may be noted that the police has filed FIR only against the two main accused. The pregnant woman delivered a baby on Thursday night at Government Pudukkottai Medical College Hospital.