'Physically Assaulted in Whatever Way...': 18-year-old House Help 'Abused' by DMK Leader's Son, Wife

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLA I Karunanithi’s son has been booked for allegedly abusing an 18-year-old girl, who worked as a domestic help in his house.

The DMK leader’s son and daughter-in-law — Anto Mathivanan and Marlina — both have been accused of allegedly torturing and denying medical care to the girl.

However, as per India Today‘s report, Karunanithi dismissing the claims said that his son’s family treated her well and only “pulled up her up after she did something wrong”.

The girl belonging to a scheduled caste, was a 12th class student and had been working at Mathivanan’s house to be able to enroll in coaching for medical entrance exam NEET.

The girl, in a video shared by Evidence — a non-profit organisation — said that she got the domestic help job through an agent.

Employed at Mathivanan’s house for seven months, she said that she was “physically assaulted” by them in whichever way they wanted to, adding that they did not pay her wages as well.

While narrating her ordeal, the girl broke down and said, “Even if I don’t do the smallest task properly, they would slap me on my face. Once, they asked me to prepare food by 6 am because they were going out of town. I hadn’t slept till 2 am the previous night. Nobody can survive without sleeping. I could only get up by 7 am. Because I couldn’t keep the food ready, they burnt my hands using a hair straightener.”

No matter how badly she was hurt, how much she bled, the couple would never take her to the hospital for medical attention. “I had to treat myself,” she said in the video recording.

Reportedly, Mathivanan and Marlina threatened the girl that nobody would come to help her if she told anyone about their alleged abuse because of their family’s political background.

Police came to know about this matter only the girl went to her house during Pongal and her family members noticed her injuries. They took her to a government hospital, where while examining her, doctors allegedly found injury marks and even cigarette burns. Suspecting abuse, the doctors there alerted the police.

However, the girl or her family is yet to file an official complaint.

“The young lady was taken to Ulundurpet hospital for treatment and doctors there alerted the nearest police station. We are trying to speak to her to register a case. Neither she nor the family is accessible. We feel they are trying to avoid,” NDTV quoted a Neelangarai Police Station officer as saying.

The officer added that doctors said the injuries are old but it is only after investigation that the truth will be known.

Meanwhile, Karunanithi denied the allegations against his son and daughter-in-law saying that they helped the girl study and also bought her jewellery.

“I usually don’t go there (Mathivanan’s house). The girl had apparently done something wrong, and they pulled her up for that. They are helping her to study, she is taking online classes. They have also got her jewellery and other things,” the DMK MLA was quoted as saying.

He said that he can even share videos from the birthday celebrations that his son and family held for the girl.

Karunanithi alleged that she was also on the phone with someone, who from the “background” made her raise the accusations against his family.

The DMK leader however, citing his rare visits to his son’s house said that he has “no connection” to this incident.

According to Karunanithi, the girl already had the injury marks when she joined as a house help there.