Nesamony Nagar police here have arrested Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) district secretary S.M. Anthony Muthu and four others on a charge of harassing a minor girl.
According to the police, Anthony Muthu and the four other cadres had collected between Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 from poor people on the promise of getting them free house sites from the government. As nothing happened, many persons, who had given them money, demanded return of the money.
Victim’s kin attacked
One of the people who demanded the money back was V. Jalaja of Melaramanpudur. It was alleged Anthony Muthu and four CPI (ML) members barged into her house and attacked Ms. Jalaja’s husband Vijaykumar and allegedly pulled the hair of their minor daughter V. Vijithra (17), studying Plus Two in a school in Nagercoil, on Thursday.
On a compliant lodged by Vijithra, Nesamony Nager police arrested Anthony Muthu (49), D. Suseela (50) of Palapallam, N. Sahayarani (55) of Colachel, T. Selvanayaki of Alanchal and A. Ganapathy (45) of North Peyankuzhi at their residences in the early hours of Friday morning.
The police registered a case against them under Sections 147, 148, 294 (b), 323, and 506 (i) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act. The accused were produced before a local court which remanded them in judicial custody.
Counter case
A counter case was also registered by the police against Vijaykumar on the basis of a complaint lodged by Suseela and three others.
