THOOTHUKUDI
Authoor police in the district registered a case against Selvaraj, panchayat president of Punnaikayal, a coastal hamlet in Tiruchendur Revenue Division, and Hilton, secretary of the panchayat, on Monday night on a charge of ostracising a family as one of its women members allegedly had an illegal affair with a man of other caste.
Superintendent of Police P. Mahendran said Authoor police had registered a case under Section 506 (ii) of the IPC and Section 7 (B) of the Civil Rights Act, 1955, based on a complaint lodged by Lubersha (28), panchayat clerk and wife of Mani, Punnaikayal.
Investigations revealed that the village committee passed a resolution on February 20 that one who maintained inter-caste relationship should not reside at Punnaikayal. Moreover, an announcement was made through tom-tom that 18 such families with inter-caste couples should move away from the village.
The complainant had already submitted a petition to the Superintendent of Police on February 22 seeking action against the panchayat office-bearers.
