Three individuals were arrested for allegedly sexually harassing women and assaulting a family at Periya Kuppam beach in Cuddalore district. The incident occurred when a family from Kurinjipadi visited the popular tourist destination to swim. According to reports, a group of intoxicated youths made inappropriate comments and physically attacked both the men and women in the family. The suspects have been taken into custody.
Popular Tourist Spot Turns Dangerous
Periya Kuppam beach, situated near Puduchattaram close to Chidambaram, is a well-known tourist attraction in the region, frequently visited by families from Chidambaram and other parts of Tamil Nadu. Many tourists come to the beach to enjoy swimming in the sea. Recently, Muthu from Kurinjipadi, his relative Sathyamoorthy, and their families, along with a transgender woman named Yazhini from Chidambaram, visited the beach for a leisurely day out. While the men and children relaxed on the shore, Muthu’s wife Bhavani, Sathyamoorthy’s wife Aishswarya, and Yazhini entered the water to bathe.
Drunk Youths Harass and Attack Victims
As the women were swimming, a group of intoxicated men, including Manickavel (24), Dinesh (21), Saravanan (22), and Praveen (24), approached and began teasing and harassing them. When the children noticed the disturbance, they shouted for help. Muthu and Sathyamoorthy rushed to intervene, but the youths allegedly assaulted them as well. The women who attempted to separate the men were also attacked. As the situation grew tense, local onlookers contacted the police, prompting the youths to flee the scene.
Police Action and Investigation Underway
Following the incident, Muthu filed a formal complaint at the Puduchattaram police station. A case was registered against the four suspects, including Manickavel, and three of the men—Dinesh, Manickavel, and Saravanan—were arrested. Authorities are continuing to investigate the matter.
Victim’s Account of the Incident
Bhavani, one of the victims, shared her experience of the harrowing event. “We came from Anna Nagar in Kurinjipadi with seven of us visiting Periya Kuppam beach since the children were on holiday. While we were bathing, they arrived drunk. At first, we thought they were there to swim, but then they started teasing us with lewd comments. We tried to move away from them, but the men in our group heard the commotion and went to ask why they were bothering us. That’s when the youths started attacking them, and when we tried to intervene, they assaulted us as well.”
(With inputs from OneIndia Tamil)
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