Chennai corporation workers' strike: Woman lawyer, student assaulted by cops

CHENNAI: Advocate Nilavumozhi Senthamarai and law student Valarmathi, who have been supporting sanitation workers protesting against privatisation of solid waste management near Ripon Building since August 1, alleged on Thursday that they were assaulted by the police after the midnight crackdown to evict the protesters from the spot. While Valarmathi, was detained along with other workers, Nilavumozhi, in her video that was live streamed on Thursday morning, said she was detained when she went to Velachery station upon hearing that the police were planning to beat up Valarmathi. In another video, recorded by the people who reached out for their help while the duo was in Chetpet police station, Nilavumozhi is seen saying that the two were taken to Chintadripet All Women Police Station, where they were assaulted and their phones seized. She said the assaulters were in plain clothes and even those in uniforms did not have name badges. My left hand was dragged and injured. Valarmathi was beaten on the chest and stomach, she said. Though they were in pain, she alleged they were not taken to a hospital. Shyam Prasad, a CPM member, who was at Chetpet station, said, Instead of taking them to hospital, the police shuttled them between stations like Velachery, Guindy and Anna Salai in the name of getting a memo for the same. They were taken to Omandurar Government Medical College Hospital later in the evening. Hospital sources, however, said they were fine and taken back by the police. Police sources, while refuting allegations of torture, said the two were released on Thursday evening, in accordance with Madras HCs earlier order in the day. Cases have been filed against both with providing further details, they added.