Couple assaulted in Kerala; case taken after 3 days

A Tamil-speaking couple was thrashed by a man, said to be a local Congress worker, at Ambalavayil in the district, with a video of the incident going viral on social media.

Three days after the incident on Sunday, police registered a case on the basis of a complaint from an area resident.

The reason for the attack and the identity of the couple were under investigation and the man had been summoned for questioning, police said.

In the video, people are seen standing as mute spectators as the woman pleads with Sajivanand — said to be a local Congress worker — to stop attacking her husband.

Abusing her, he then slapped her several times.

An eyewitness said the accused allegedly used filthy language against the woman and hit her. Despite the locals asking the couple to approach police, they fled the place, it was stated.

A case has been registered against Sajivanand under various sections of Indian Penal Code, including voluntarily causing hurt, obscene act in public, using criminal force against the woman to outrage her modesty, police said.

Meanwhile, the state Women Commission has on its own registered a case against Sajivanand.

The commission chairperson M C Josephine visited a police station Tuesday and later told reporters it was unfortunate that even though the incident occurred very near Ambalavayil police station, no attempt was made to register a case against the accused.