NAMAKKAL: Thamaraiselvi Manikandan, a DMK councillor in the Tiruchengode municipality, was allegedly assaulted by a group of five men under the influence of alcohol on Sunday night.In her complaint lodged at the Tiruchengode town police station, the councillor of ward six said she and her husband, Manikandan, were returning home around 10.30pm after closing accounts at their tea stall near Pavadi Street. As they passed a ration shop in Kumarasamipuram, five men confronted them, hurled obscene abuses, pulled her sari and threatened to kill her, she stated in her complaint.“When I intervened to protect my wife, one of the assailants fell and sustained an injury on his hand,” said Manikandan.On Monday, the councillor arrived at the Tiruchengode town police station along with fellow councillors and filed a complaint against Gopi, Gowrishankar and three unidentified men. Police registered a case and began investigations.Later, while speaking to reporters, Thamaraiselvi said, “They abused me in filthy language, pulled my sari, and threatened to kill me. If this is the situation when I walk with my husband, what safety do women have when they walk alone? Immediate action must be taken to ensure public safety.”Murugesan, the DMK councillor of ward 30, said, “I too faced similar abuse when some men damaged a pipeline. They insulted me with caste-based slurs. Women councillors are being repeatedly targeted. Regardless of party or govt, women deserve protection. Strict action must be taken against the culprits.”
