Madurai:
A woman, whose husband has been arrested and charged for being involved in the kidnapping of aDMK functionary last month, filed a petition in the Madras High Court, seeking protection for him as she fearedpolice would kill him in a fake encounter.
In her petition, she said her husband Selvam and his two friends were arrested from Dindigul on March 12 and anotherof his friends was "killed" in an encounter that day. The three were remanded to judicial custody the following day.She said she feared police would kill her husband in a similar manner as he was witness to their crime.
The woman said during her visit to the prison to see him, Selvam had told her that police had assaulted andthreatened to kill him.
She alleged an Inspector had even told Selvam he would be killed while being taken in a van and they would state laterhe had been killed while trying to escape from police.
She alleged police were foisting cases against her husband and that he face threats to his life and prayed for adirection that he be given protection.
According to police, on March 12 DMK's Kovalur secretary in Ramanathapuram district, Kathiravan was kidnapped by the gang.
Police had surrounded a lodge where the gang, led by Selvam, were holed up and asked them to surrender. But thecriminals threatened the police team. Fearing that they would be attacked, an inspector opened fire in which one of the gang members was killed. Selvam and the others were later arrested.