Kangaroo court at Jogirpalayam village near Shoolagiri in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district has fined a couple ₹ 3 Lakh for having Inter-caste marriage.
When couple failed to pay the fine to the headman of the village, the groom’s house was locked and fenced with barbwire and the family was forced to live in a hut outside. Family members of the house were threatened not to venture out of their home until they pay the fine.
On the complaint of the groom after three days, the police removed the barbwire and arrested the village headman and three others for various charges under the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
Chandru, 23 years old ran away with his girlfriend Deivanai from his village and got married in April 2017. Chandru belongs to Boyer community while his wife Deivanai is from Vanniyar, the dominant cast in the village.
Chandru said in his complaint to the Krishnagiri Superintendent of the police “Both the family members were facing various troubles from the village headman Raghavan and his henchmen after we eloped. We stayed out of the village sensing more trouble.”
After Chandru’s wife gave birth to a baby on April 2018, they visited the village along with their six-day-old baby, but the village headman convened a kangaroo court to impose a fine of ₹ 3 lakh and banned the couple from entering the village.
Though Chandru tried to bargain and pay the fine for leading a peaceful life with his family, the headman refused to accept. In order to force him to pay the fine, the headman along with his supporters locked Chandru’s house and forced his family members to live in a hut where they have suffered without food and water for the last three days.
After he filed a complaint with the SP on Tuesday (June 26th, 2018), the Shoolagiri police Inspector visited the village and rescued his family members. An FIR has been filed against Raghavan and three others under sections 448 (house trespass), 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and they have been remanded in judicial custody.
