Kangaroo court ostracises inter-caste couple, 4 held

Four members of a kangaroo court here have been arrested for allegedly ostracising the family of a man who married outside his caste and demanding money from him, the police said today.

Four people, including the key accused Raghavan, had been demanding Rs three lakh from the complainant, Chandru, as he married a woman outside his caste, a police official told PTI.

The couple got married last year.

Chandru told PTI that his family and that of his wife were ostracised soon after their wedding. Later, there was some reconciliation.

However, Raghavan and three others recently started demanding the money, Chandru added.

In his complaint, Chandru said the accused threatened him and his wife with dire consequences if they did not pay up.

He added that Raghavan and a few others recently locked his house and fenced it with barbed wire, forcing his parents to live in a hut.

Acting on Chandru's complaint, the police removed the barbed wire and arrested the accused.

The four have been booked for extortion, house-trespass and criminal intimidation, the police said.

Chandru said the police had assured the family of security.