On the night of July 25, a team of police officials including a couple of woman officials had to enter a building located on Angalamman Koil Street in Kotturpuram.
Chennai:
Unlike what happened in Puzhal, where an inspector tried to evict a person in the night leading to the suicide of tenant, at Kotturpuram, police were trying to get the house back to the original occupants after the relatives took over their portion in the first floor of the building.
According to police, the building in temple land had been used by two brothers, Thulasi and Shanmugham, and their families for more than three decades. After the death of Thulasi, his wife Salaiammal and daughter Kala were staying on the first floor.
“They were away for nearly 10 days, attending a relative who was unwell when Shanmugham’s family locked the portion belonging to Salaiammal with a fresh lock, keeping all her belongings outside,” said a police official adding: “To resolve the issue, we had to go and talk to Shanmugham’s family on that night.”
“We don’t get ourselves involved in civil disputes like this. We had to make sure that the woman and her daughter get back their place of stay,” he further said.
However, Gopi, son of Shanmugham, in a social media message claimed that police barged into his house, assaulted inmates besides taking their mobile phones and DVR.
“Further, inspector along with other cops broke my locked property on the first floor and given a direction to Salaiammal to stay in my property illegally,” Gopi said.
Police said they were helping the women thrown out of their home after a well-wisher send them a message. The two were not in a position to travel to any relatives’ place because it was too late and the day next was Sunday, a full lockdown day.
“The two sides will have to settle the issue legally. Till then, they will have to coexist,” the official noted.