The son and daughter-in-law of Pallavaram DMK MLA I Karunanithi were booked by the Tamil Nadu Police for allegedly torturing their domestic help, an 18-year-old dalit girl.

Tamil Nadu News: The Tamil Nadu Police Friday booked DMK MLA I Karunanithi’s son and daughter-in-law after an 18-year-old maid, a Dalit, accused the the couple of beatings, verbal abuse and torture. Officials said an FIR was registered against Anto Mathivanan and his wife Marlina Ann– the son and daughter-in-law of Pallavaram MLA I Karunanithi– for the allegedly beating and verbally abusing their young domestic help.

The incident came to light after a government hospital at Ulundurpet in Kallakurichi district informed the police that a young woman came to the facility for treatment.

Hospital authorities said, during examination, injuries were observed on her body and upon being asked how she received the bruises, the 18-year-old girl told the doctors she was allegedly subjected to severe physical and verbal abuse by her employers– ‘a legislator’s son and his wife’ in Chennai.

Subsequently, a woman inspector from the Neelangarai All Women Police Station in Chennai visited the Ulundurpet hospital, the police said.

When questioned, the girl, identified as V Rekha, told the police that she used to work as a domestic help in the house of the legislator’s son at Tiruvanmiyur in Chennai. The young woman alleged that she was beaten up, tortured, and verbally abused by the MLA’s son Andro and his wife Marlina.

Based on her complaint, a case has been registered and a probe is on, a city police release said.

‘Hands burned with cigarettes,  frequent beatings’

Talking to reporters, the girl and her mother Selvi, claimed that she was subjected to severe physical torture by her employer for over seven months she worked for them. Narrating her harrowing ordeal, she alleged that her hands were burnt with cigarettes by the MLA’s son and his wife and she was beaten frequently for the slightest of reasons.

DMK MLA I Karunanithi’s son in Chennai ‘burnt my hands’ says Dalit domestic worker alleges torture. #Dalit #DravidianModel #Karunanithi #DMKYOuthWing @TheBluePen25 @subhajit_n@arivalayam @mkstalin @Udhaystalin @DMKITwing@thirumaofficialpic.twitter.com/EsT8BXy4GF

— South One (@SouthOneNews) January 19, 2024

“I would get often a slap on the face for failing to do the smallest task properly. The beatings became a daily ordeal. One time burnt my hands with a hair straightener because I had failed to prepare the food on time,” she alleged.

She further alleged that she was beaten with slippers, poons, broom and mops, leaving her body bruised, battered, and bloody.

DMK MLA, I Karunanithi’s son in Chennai ‘burnt my hands’ says Dalit domestic worker alleges torture.#Dalit #DravidianModel #Karunanithi #DMKYOuthWing @TheBluePen25 @subhajit_n @arivalayam @mkstalin @Udhaystalin @DMKITwing @thirumaofficialpic.twitter.com/P4HL9PPUqz

— South One (@SouthOneNews) January 19, 2024

Worked as maid to pay for education, never paid full salary

The distressed girl revealed that Marlina was especially cruel towards her and often used to beat her severely and even chopped off her hair once.

“I agreed to work as a maid because I wanted to save the money for my education and coaching for the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET). I want to become a doctor,” said the girl, adding that she had scored 433 marks out of 600 in her Class 12 board exams last year.

She also claimed that the family only paid her Rs 5,000 instead of the promised amount of Rs 16,000 in monthly salary.

The girl, who showed visible bruises and injuries on her arms and hands to the cameras, alleged that Anto and his wife also denied her medical attention even if she “bled to death.

Reacting to the incident, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai alleged that the girl, belonging to the Scheduled Caste, was branded using cigarettes and brutally beaten by Andro and Marlina, son and daughter-in-law of I Karunanidhi, DMK MLA of Pallavaram constituency in Chennai.

The Saffron party leader demanded a detailed probe and quick, appropriate action.

The MLA has said that he and his son lived separately and he had no idea about the allegation.

(With PTI inputs)