Kozhikode: Man threatens teacher, flees

KOZHIKODE: The city police has registered a case against a youth after a teacher in a city school complained that he, claiming to be a relative of her late husband, has been misbehaving with her and trying to extort a share of the money she has got as her husband’s insurance benefits. The police said the youth, Pradeep Kumar, a native of Beypore, has been booked under IPC 354 D (follows a woman and contacts, or attempts to contact such woman to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest by such woman) and IPC 384 (extortion).

In her complaint, the teacher stated that Pradeep Kumar was stalking and threatening her demanding that she part with Rs 5 lakh after the insurance benefits were accrued in her name. The ‘relative’ apparently got irritated when the woman started leading an independent life, taking care of her two children without banking on the ‘relatives’ after the death of her husband. The ‘relative’ also allegedly feared that they would not get any financial benefit if the woman remarried. The police said that they are still on the lookout for the man, who had been an active member of a Hindutva outfit in Beypore. However, the leaders of the outfit dismissed the charge saying the man was holding no positions in it and that they were not aware of the crime.