Case Registered Against Three TVK Functionaries in Coimbatore Over Sexual Harassment and Caste-Based Abuse Complaint

Coimbatore: A case has been registered against three Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) functionaries, including the Karamadai Union Secretary, following a complaint by a woman party functionary alleging sexual harassment, caste-based abuse, criminal intimidation and threats to kill her. The Karamadai police registered the FIR on November 12 under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The accused have been identified as Karuppusamy, Karamadai Union Secretary, Sabitha, a women's wing functionary, and her husband Pandi. The complainant, Sowmiya (29), of Seeliyur in Karamadai, has been serving as the secretary of the TVK's Kallampalayam Panchayat unit for over two years.

In her complaint, Sowmiya alleged that around a month after the Assembly elections, Karuppusamy summoned her to an emergency party meeting. As the meeting continued late into the night, he allegedly attempted to sexually harass her. She further alleged that after she refused to yield to his advances, he subjected her to caste-based insults and continued to harass her and create pressure to force her out of the party.

She also accused Sabitha and her husband Pandi of visiting her house, abusing her by referring to her caste and threatening to kill her after an altercation over her participation in a welfare assistance distribution programme for sanitation workers. She claimed to possess video evidence of the incident.

Sowmiya further alleged that Karuppusamy had conspired to cause an accident to kill her and cited WhatsApp conversations as evidence. She had also released an audio recording in which a person identified as Saravanan, said to be close to Karuppusamy, allegedly offered her money and a party post to withdraw the issue while making sexually inappropriate remarks.

The FIR (No. 0545/2026), registered at the Karamadai police station, invokes Sections 296(b), 75 and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The development follows Sowmiya submitting complaints to the Coimbatore District Collector and the Superintendent of Police. She had also alleged that her earlier complaints to the party's district secretary and the Karamadai police had not resulted in appropriate action.

Following the complaint, a police team led by Mettupalayam Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhaskaran, along with Karamadai Inspector Murugaraj and All-Women Police Station Inspector Venkateswari, had conducted an inquiry with Sowmiya, her mother and neighbours.

Meanwhile, representatives of various political parties and organisations, including the All India Democratic Women's Association, met Sowmiya and expressed their support. Association state committee member Rajalakshmi said the organisation would continue to stand by the complainant and fight for justice until the accused were brought to book.