Rape case: Jaya vows action

CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday promised stringent action against the five police personnel who were suspension in connection with the alleged rape of four Irula women hailing from T Mandapam in Villupuram on November 22. “If the policemen are found guilty after the ongoing magisterial inquiry, stern action will be taken against them,” she asserted.The CM also announced a solatium of `5 lakh each to the four women. She said the five policemen were suspended on her orders since during the initial investigation, it was found that they had kept some of the Irula women in their vehicle on  the night of November 22. Those who have been placed under suspension are Inspector Srinivasan, Special SI Ramanathan, Head Constable Dhanasekaran and Constables Bakthavatchalam and Karthikeyan. The Tamil Nadu Tribal People’s Association and the Organisation for Protection of Irula Tribes (OPIT) have demanded that the government take stringent action against the accused.