Kerala man who reported tribal assault at farm-stay goes missing

PALAKKAD: The Kollengode police have registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by Adivasi Samrakshana Sangham state president Mariyappan K, alleging that his relative and tribal person, 75-year-old Thirunavukkarasu, went missing around 11 pm on Thursday. Thirunavukkarasu was the person who discovered that 54-year-old Chambukkuzhi Vellayan, a member of the Eravallan tribal community and a resident of Moochakundu in Muthalamada, had been allegedly locked for five days inside a farm-stay named Western Gateways, located beside the Oorkkulam forest in Muthalamada. Vellayan was allegedly confined, starved, and assaulted by the owner and employees of a farm-stay. Thirunavukkarasu immediately informed Vellayan's plight to the tribal activists and peoples representatives who later rescued Vellayan from confinement with the help of Kollengode police. However, Thirunavukkarasu went missing soon after he reported the incident involving Vellayan to the local residents and tribal activists. He could not be seen anywhere when we were rescuing Vellayan, Mariyappan told TNIE. The complainant further alleged that the farm-stay owner, identified as Prabhu, was behind Thirunavukkarasus disappearance, claiming that the latter was aware of all the illegal activities taking place at the farm-stay. We received the complaint on Friday late night and we have registered an FIR under section 57 (attempt to locate missing person) of the Kerala Police Act, 2011. We have already started the investigation, said a source from the Kollengode police station. Prabhu and a couple of his labourers are still absconding, said police. A case has been registered for attempt to murder and violations under the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Prabhu. Meanwhile, police have taken Prabhus mother Ranganayaki into custody in connection with Vellayans case. According to Kalpana Devi, former president and currently the member of the Muthalmada grama panchayat, Vellayan had gone to the farm-stay on August 17 (Sunday) for daily wage work. While there, he consumed liquor from a bottle kept on the premises. This allegedly angered the resort owner Prabhu, who, along with his employees, detained Vellayan inside a room at the farm-stay. Vellayan told the rescuers that he was given food only once a day, but beaten and kicked frequently. For nearly five days, he was kept locked inside the farm-stay. After rescuing, Vellayan was admitted to the Palakkad district hospital in the wee hours of Friday and he was discharged late in the evening the same day. Minister for welfare of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes OR Kelu sought an immediate report from the Director of the Scheduled Tribes Development Department in the Vellayans incident. The State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has also sought a separate report from the Palakkad district police chief immediately.