Police finds woman abducted over inter-caste marriage after 6 days

Six days after a couple, who performed an inter-caste marriage, was abducted and attacked in Salem, the police on Saturday (March 14) rescued the woman and took her to Mettur All Women station along with her advocate Saravanan.

Selvan who is a Dalit fell in love with J. Elamathi belonging to the Vanniyar caste, eloped and got married on March 9, with the help of Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam (DVK) members in Kolathur.

However, the couple, who worked in an Erode-based cotton mill, were attacked by the girl’s family, relatives and some members of PMK and Kongu outfits on the same night. While Selvan was threatened and his mobile, cash were wrested, Elamathi has been abducted.

Related news: Inter-caste couple kidnapped; four days on, police yet to trace girl

Meanwhile, when the deed was done in the native district of Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, #WhereisIlamathi and #Saveelamathi started to trend on social media.

Following the abduction and police inaction, Dharmapuri MP Dr. S. Senthilkumar raised the issue in the Parliament on March 13, and urged the Centre to enact a law for making ‘self-respect marriages’ a country-wide phenomenon.

According to reports, Elamathi’s lawyer has claimed that she wants to return to her parents instead of living with Selvan.