(Special Report)
(By Mukundan CM)

Thiruvananthapuram, April 2 : A group of anti-social elements attacked an old Dalit couple, Chellappan (60) and his wife Ponnamma (58), causing them grave injuries at their house at Kunnathur Iverkala Padinjarukara, near Sasthamkotta in Kollam district, on March 29 night. Both of them were later admitted into Sasthamkotta Government Hospital. Their grand-daughter, Nisha (13), also faced injuries.

The attackers were led by their neighbours, Rajesh and Babu, carrying weapons. Being daily wage-earners, the old couples were attacked soon after they returned home from work place.

Notably, it was a revengeful attack against the Dalit couple's lodging a complaint with the police women's cell complaining about the constant harassment they face from Rajesh and Babu. Due to socio-political influence of the culprits, the police allegedly took no action on the complaint.

Encouraged with the police inaction, the culprits attacked the couple's house inflicting serious injury on Chellappan's head by hitting with an iron road, and broke Ponnamma's right hand and legs causing frractures. Without sparing Ponnamma even then, the culprits dragged her by catching hair all the way to their neighbouring house and subjected her to cruel torture leaving injuries all over her body.

Nisha was attacked while she tried to interfere. The culprits also damaged the couple's house.

When the assembled neighbours tried to shift the gravely injured and bleeding couples to the hospital, the culprits even prevented it. The culprits later ran away only when more people reached the spot and tried to counter them physically. Due to bleeding, both the couple fell unconscious by the time they were admitted to the hospital later in the night.

Ironically, even after this incident the Sashthamkotta police failed to arrest the culprits. The lone police action so far confined to registering a case.