HC seeks response on plea to provide police security to 60-year-old panchayat chief

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered the government and the police department to respond to a plea on providing police protection to V Amirtham, the 60-year-old panchayat chief of Athupakkam village belonging to the SC/ST community.

In her petition, Amirtham alleged the village panchayat secretary, former president of the Aathuppakkam village panchayat and the husband of the vice-president had been threatening her ever since she was elected.

According to the petitioner, the issue began at Aathuppakkam village in Gummidipoondi Taluk on Independence Day. She was invited to hoist the flag at the local school, following which there was pressure to withdraw the invitation.

“On November 27, when I went to Aathuppakkam village with my son Sasikumar to inspect the damage caused by Cyclone Nivar, Vijayakumar, husband of Revathi, the vice-president, waylaid our motorcycle and abused us using filthy language based on our caste. He  threatened to finish us off soon,” she added.

Immediately after the incident, her son approached the inspector at the Gummidipoondi police station, filed a written complaint against Vijayakumar, and was issued CSR. But no action was taken, the petitioner alleged. She also said several panchayat presidents from SC/ST communities were murdered between 1997 and 2014, and asserted that she must be given protection from all present and potential threats.

Plea on cop protection to Amirtham
Justice T Ravindran admitted the plea that Amirtham filed, recorded the submissions of the petitioner, and issued notices to the State and Central governments to respond to the plea within two weeks.