Last week, an 18-year-old woman belonging to the Dalit community, who was employed as a domestic worker at the residence of Anto Mathivanan, the son of Tamil Nadu DMK MLA I Karunanithi, made allegations of physical abuse and medical neglect against the couple.
Chennai Police took action on Thursday by apprehending Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLA's son, Anto Mathivanan, and his daughter-in-law, Merlina, in connection with the reported case of physical mistreatment lodged by the Dalit girl who was working as a domestic aide at their household.
Anto Mathivanan and Merlina, who had been evading law enforcement since the allegations surfaced, were finally arrested following a directive from the Madras High Court, which mandated their appearance before a special court within a fortnight.
The 18-year-old victim asserted that she endured physical torment and was deprived of proper medical attention by the accused couple, a claim vehemently denied by Karunanithi, who insisted that his son's family treated the girl well and merely reprimanded her for any misconduct.
According to the aggrieved girl, she had been employed at the residence for seven months, during which she allegedly suffered various forms of physical assault at the hands of her employers and was allegedly not remunerated for her services.
Recounting her ordeal in a video shared by an NGO, the victim detailed instances of abuse, alleging that she was subjected to physical violence if she failed to perform tasks satisfactorily, such as preparing meals on time, citing an incident where her hands were purportedly burned with a hair straightener as a form of punishment.
Furthermore, she claimed that despite her injuries, her employers neglected to provide her with necessary medical care, forcing her to tend to her wounds on her own.
In response, Karunanithi refuted the accusations against his family, contending that his son and daughter-in-law were supportive of the girl's education, providing her with learning opportunities and even acquiring jewelry and other items for her welfare.
The arrests of Anto Mathivanan and Merlina coincide with escalating pressure from opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, with the AIADMK organizing protests against the perceived inaction of the DMK government. Similarly, the state's BJP leader, K Annamalai, criticized the DMK, alleging that their commitment to social justice remains rhetorical and falls short in practice.
