Dalit ‘civic chief’ missing, husband goes to police
Citing the stay, “she was not allowed to assume office till date. When we approached the BDO he passed on the buck to the Collector and the AD (panchayat).”
Missing Dalit panchayat chief Indumathi
TIRUPATTUR: A Dalit woman, who was elected unopposed as president of Naikaneri panchayat in Madanur Panchayat Union in Tirupattur district, went missing last Saturday.
It is alleged that the woman went to a shop in her locality to buy milk but did not return home. Following this, her husband approached the police on Monday to trace her whereabouts.
Sources said that prior to the local body polls in 2021, locals passed a diktat that no one should contest the elections as the post of Naikaneri village panchayat president was marked under the Dalit woman category. Defying the ‘order,’ Indumathi, wife of Pandian of Kamanurthattu, filed her nomination at the last minute. As no one else filed nominations for the post, Indumathi, was declared the president.
her husband
Pandian after lodging complaint at Ambur taluk police station
Sources revealed that those who supported Locals, who were enraged by Indumathi’s action, ostracised her family due to which she along with her husband and children moved to Solur village near Ambur. But, a significant twist to the story was that a lawyer had told Indumathi that some opponents had obtained a stay against her election. Pandian told DT Next that they were cheated by a lawyer about the stay. However, when another lawyer checked it came to light that “no court had granted a stay against her election.”
Citing the stay, “she was not allowed to assume office till date. When we approached the BDO he passed on the buck to the Collector and the AD (panchayat).”
Elaborating on the events that led to his wife going missing, Pandian said, “We came home from Bengaluru on Saturday when we had an argument as those with us wanted us to meet the Collector to ensure my wife assumed office. However, I berated my wife over this and then asked her to make tea for us. As there was no milk, she went to a nearby shop but never returned home. After searching in many places, I complained to the police on Monday.”
Collector D Baskara Pandian, when asked said, he was yet to be informed of the issue. “If a police complaint has been lodged over the missing president, police will trace her after which they will sort out the issue regarding Indumathi assuming office legally.”