Harassment of woman: Guest house employee held

KOLLAM: The police on Wednesday arrested the first accused in the case of harassment of a sweeper of Government Guest House at Ashramam here. City Assistant Commissioner of Police P Krishnan Nair arrested Suresh, 45, a cook of the Guest House, for harassing the sweeper, Santha, physically and mentally for the past two years. He was produced in the court and remanded. The ACP said that Suresh, of Panachikkadu village of Kottayam district, had been a resident of the Guest House quarters since 2006. Santha is a native of Aluva.
It was alleged that casteist slur against her and attempts to outrage her modesty had been reported to the authorities repeatedly. But, in her complaint, she had said that there was no action from the authorities. Santha had been complaining of physical and mental harassment by her colleagues, including the manager, for the past two years. Despite her complaints, no action was initiated against the cook, Suresh.Instead, the manager and other colleagues continued to harass her. As the officials neglected her complaint, Kerala Dalit Mahila Federation workers gheraoed the new manager, Krishnan, and attacked him using brooms. In fact, Krishnan had done nothing wrong against the woman. It was just two months back that he was transferred to the Ashramam Guest House.