A love affair, violence and fight for justice
The Hindu
Violent caste-based abduction in rural India sparks outrage and calls for justice and protection for inter-caste couples.
A one-man police picket stood guard outside the 350 sq.ft house of Selvam in Keezhmorappur village in Parayapatti post in Morappur on Monday. Five days ago, this place was vandalised and Selvam and his wife Kannammal (name changed) were beaten, and the latter abducted and harassed in captivity.
Selvam’s son Surendran is believed to have eloped with his childhood friend from school. The fact that the couple were qualified Agriculture graduates, aged 24 and 23 respectively, and that Surendran was gainfully employed in Coimbatore made no difference to the girl’s parents.
The girl belongs to the dominant Kongu Vellalar Gounder caste, while Surendran belongs to the Kuravan community - Scheduled Caste in some districts and Scheduled Tribe in many others.
On the morning of August 14, a group of 15 to 20 men, including the girl’s parents Boopathy and his wife Selvi from the neighbouring Ganapathipatti village landed at the house of Selvam, beat him up asking for the whereabouts of their daughter and Selvam’s son. Kannammal, who was securing her two cows from a nearby brick kiln, rushed to protect her husband from the blows being landed on him. “I ran, when I saw them dragging him to a bike. I threw myself in front of the bike in a bid to stop them from taking away my husband. The girl’s mother started yelling that I would know where they have gone,” said Kannammal.
When Selvam’s aged mother tried to intervene, they slapped her and she collapsed unconscious. “I knew I could not take those blows. So, I ran inside here, and tried to latch the door. But the girl’s mother along with the other men opened it and I was dragged outside,” she added.
An asthma patient, she seemed unwell, and was consumed by fear for her son’s life.
On August 14, when the urban women across country were fighting against sexual violence, elsewhere in a little village, Selvam’s wife was beaten, her blouse torn, and forcibly put on a two-wheeler between two men, and abducted to a nearby forest. She was in captivity for an entire day and returned at 11 p.m. that night. “They dropped me on a road and two men on a bike waiting outside the forest told the others to go away. Soon, a police vehicle came and picked me up,” she said.
Hockey India drops Manpreet Singh and two others from the probables list due to disciplinary issues during the South Africa tour.
Dr. S. Somanath emphasizes the shared pursuit of truth between science and spirituality at the 'Viveka Deepti' convention.
Join leading experts at the DEOSS International Conference on Dry Eye Disease in Bengaluru on January 31 to discuss advancements.
Unions express concerns over Karnataka's draft occupational safety rules, particularly regarding factory definitions and extended work hours.
The ancient grain storage tradition of Paathara in Srikakulam district is rapidly fading due to modernization and space constraints.
IOA President P.T. Usha's husband, V. Srinivasan, passes away at 67, remembered as her steadfast support throughout her career.
Flight attendant Pinky Mali's last rites held in Mumbai after her tragic death in a plane crash with Ajit Pawar.
Maharashtra launches India's first government-run menopause clinics to support women's health during menopause with comprehensive care and guidance.
The sudden demise of Deputy Chief Minister and NCP supreme Ajit Pawar has thrown Maharashtra's politics in a state of flux. The regional power equations in a turbulent political ecosystem are likely to change due to the death of a mass leader with a strong grip over administration, and acceptance across the entire party leadership. As the chequered path of succession will be discussed, throwing several names from the Pawar family and outside the Pawar family in the ring, speculations on whether his wife Sunetra Pawar will emerge as the dark horse, have also emerged. What will be the decision of the Pawar family, how will Mahayuti be shaped now, what path will the senior satraps of NCP who had accepted Ajit Pawar's leadership, take? His death has led to several unanswered questions, leaving a void in the State politics for a long time.
A massive fire engulfs forested land in Menamkulam, prompting emergency response and evacuation near vital installations.
Yogita Bhayana fights against sexual violence in India, advocating for a rape-free society amidst alarming statistics and societal indifference.
Telangana faces a crisis as mass killings of stray dogs highlight a growing social divide between community safety and animal welfare.
Governor Jishnu Dev Varma inaugurates a 108-foot national flag at Mehdipatnam Garrison, honoring armed forces and national pride.