COIMBATORE: An elderly couple, who were staying in a private old age home near Keeranatham, was severely beaten up by the warden of the home. He was arrested on Sunday, and the district Social Welfare department, who is authorised to monitor such homes, has initiated a probe into this issue.
According to police sources, Jebastin (65) and his wife Jayamani (60), of Sowripalayam near Peelamedu are staying in the home, run by a minority institution, for the last three years. Jayamani was working as a cook in the home while Jebastin worked in a mill near Gandhipuram. He goes to work in the morning and returns in the evening.
On Friday, at around 11 pm, when Jayamani was working in the kitchen, she heard an inmate screaming and rushed to check. She saw the warden S Prason (44) from Balaji Garden near Periyanaickenpalayam her husband with a metal walking stick. The elderly man was unable to bear the pain and fell on the floor screaming.
Jayamani intervened and questioned the warden, but he allegedly ignored her and even assaulted her. They husband and wife sustained bleeding injuries. After he left the place, the other inmates booked called an 108 ambulance and sent the couple to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
Saravanampatti police received a complaint from the couple from the hospital and interrogated the warden at his home on Saturday. “The victim was in an inebriated state and argued with the warden when he asked him to bring a glass of milk. In a fit of rage, the warden beat up the elderly man and his wife with a walking stick. The home does not have a health care centre,” a police officer said.
Following the interrogation, Prason was arrested under sections 294 (b) (uttering obscene words), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (Voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the IPC and Section 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act.
District Social Welfare Officer P Thangamani said they are inquiring about the incident.