Chennai: The residential lanes of Padur on OMR wore a deserted look on Monday afternoon, not due to the heat, but because residents have abandoned the village. A few of them present have locked themselves and are unwilling to venture out. Reason: They are scared that the police would abuse them again. It has been two days since Padur residents had ransacked a Tasmac shop in the residential locality, only to go under the police scanner, who allegedly barged into their houses to arrest them. Women, who condemned the presence of a wine shop broke the bottles, after their peaceful protests turned futile.
Violence broke out as the Tasmac shop managers allegedly hired henchmen to pelt stones on the women. Their lives got worsened after the violent act, as the police allegedly visited their residences during nights to arrest them. “They barge into our houses during nights and say Ungaley Laadum katti Adikanam, Valachitu Poram. We are staying the nights in our relatives houses in other localities,” said Ratnam (name changed).
“As most of us are working as maids in the flats, we have to come back in the mornings. Life has become a tough game, only because we opposed the presence of a Tasmac shop. My husband beats me up every day, after getting drunk here,” Gowri (name changed), said. Fear fills the air at Padur as a few young boys assembled at a temple here, started to disperse, on hearing a police siren. “They would take us to the police station and treat us very badly akka,” cried a 15-year-old boy arrested on Saturday evening. He was allegedly booked under a false name and year of birth.
The incidents at Padur constitute for a gross human rights violation as police have allegedly indulged in outraging the modesty of women and children. “Though I did not participate in the protest, the Kelambakkam police arrested me. They made me undress and sit with just the boxers the whole night. They recorded my age as 37 and framed false charges of participating in riots,” another resident Mani (name changed) recalled.
The root cause of riots is the inauguration of a Tasmac shop here, relocated from Rajiv Gandhi Salai on Tamil New Year’s day. As multiple pleas to the government bodies went futile, residents staged a demonstration and broke the bottles from the carton. “We had submitted a plea to the Kancheepuram collector and requested to relocate the shop. There was no response,” said Gowri.
The Tasmac shop here is located within few yards of residential colonies and a few steps away from the ladies public toilet. As the majority of the households own no toilets, the public toilet is the only option for the women. “How can we use the toilet now? It is very usual of the tipplers to create nuisance,” added Gowri. Denying the accusations, the Inspector of Kelambakkam police station, A. Govindaraj said, “We did not barge into the residences during nights. Nor did we arrest any minors.”
