Usury victims also usurers, say Chennai police

Tirunelveli: The Esakkimuthu-Subbulakshmi couple who burnt themselves along with their two daughters on Tirunelveli collector’s office premises on Monday, are said to have borrowed Rs 2.65 lakh from seven moneylenders of their village, Kasidharmam in Tirunelveli district since 2016 and bought properties.

According to Tirunelveli district police superintendent Dr Arun Sakthi Kumar, the couple had a usury complaint against them too. Stating that preliminary investigation in the case revealed that Esakkimuthu and Subbulakshmi had borrowed Rs 1.45 lakh from Muthulakshmi, the Tirunelveli district police superintendent said that Esakkimuthu had spent Rs 60,000 for a family function out of the Rs 1.45 lakh borrowed from Muthulakshmi and spent the rest of Rs 85,000 for house construction.

Esakkimuthu and her wife had taken a loan of Rs 10,000 from Sankareswari , Rs 35,000 from Kutty wife of Raj, Rs 10,000 from Esakkiammal, Rs 25,000 from Thangathaani, wife of Kadarkarai and   Rs 40,000 Madhavi alias Madhuri, wife of Karuppasamy.

With the amount borrowed from various sources, Esakkimuthu had taken two houses belonging to Muppidathi, for a lease of Rs 50,000 each at Kasidhamam village and also bought 1.5 cent land, said the police officer. He added that the couple had also lent money for interest. “Kannammal, wife of Paramasivan, was lent Rs 65,000 for an interest of Rs 6,500 by Esakkimuthu and Subbulakshmi.
Kanammal lodged a complaint with Achanputhur police on April 21 this year against the couple, charging them of usury,” said the officer who added that the couple had taken 48 grams of jewels from Kannammal in mortgage and got Rs 95,000 by pledging jewels. As the couple failed to appear before police for enquiry, following their petitions, dated September 4, 18, 25 and October 9 submitted to the collector, Achanputhur police are said to have sent the summons through registered post.

This was returned on October 13 with an “addressee left” note. The local VAO gave a note on October 16 that Esakkimuthu and Subbulakshmi were not in the village for four months. “It is hence highly inappropriate to blame police of being lethargic in the issue,” the district police superintendent said.

Victims cremated after protests

Esakkimuthu, who attempted self-immolation along with his wife and two daughters, is undergoing treatment at Tirunelveli medical college hospital.  The bodies of his wife, Muthulakshmi and two daughters, who succumbed to burn injuries were cremated at the electric crematorium in Tirunelveli. Relatives of Esakkimuthu decided not to take the bodies to their native village and cremated them in Tirunel-veli itself. Members of the opposition parties like CPI(M), MDMK, SDPI and VCK opposed handing over the dead bodies to Esakkimuthu’s relatives without taking strong action against the accused.

The police held talks with them and handed over bodies to Esakkimuthu’s brother Gopi and their relative Anaikutty Pandian, who along with some 50 of the Kasidharmam villagers did the last rite and cremated the bodies at the electric crematorium at Sinthupoonthurai on the banks of Thamirabarani in Tirunelveli city. The condition of Esakkimuthu under treatment is still critical, according to Tirunelveli medical college hospital sources.