‘Missing’ girl’s kin beat up lawyer

CHENNAI: Police on Tuesday arrested five people for attacking a lawyer who accompanied his client to the police commissioner’s office to lodge a complaint against her parents.
K Kavitha, 19, from Puzhuthivakkam came to the commissioner’s office to lodge a complaint against her parents who had allegedly arranged her marriage with a 50-year-old man.
Kavitha’s parents, Kuppusamy and Mythili, and three others had come to the commissioner’s office on Tuesday to submit a petition to trace their missing daughter. They were shocked to see Kavitha waiting in the queue in front of the police reception office. She was accompanied by her advocate Siva Shanmugarajan of Puzhuthivakkam.
Kavitha’s family pounced on the lawyer and beat him up. He was rescued by the police and taken to a private hospital and later to the government general hospital.
Kavitha said her parents had earlier arranged her marriage with a 50-year-old man when she was in class 10. Neighbours intervened and the marriage was stopped. She is now studying B Sc Maths in Quaid-e-Milleth College. Her parents recently got her engaged to another 50-year-old man. Kavitha sought the help of her tuition teacher whose husband is the lawyer Siva Shanmugarajan.
The girl approached Madipakkam police station seeking protection. As no action was taken on her complaint, she went to the commissioner’s office on Tuesday.
Based on Shanmugarajan’s complaint, Egmore police registered a case and arrested Kavitha’s father Kuppusamy, mother Mythili, brother Manu, uncle Gajendran and aunt Gajalakshmi. They were remanded in Puzhal prison after being produced before XIV Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Egmore on Tuesday.
In a press release, police commissioner J K Tripathy said stern action would be taken against anyone attacking or scolding lawyers coming to the commissioner’s office to exercise their duty.