CUDDALORE: Two men have been arrested for raping a woman to settle a loan. The woman's husband, who allegedly encouraged them to commit the crime, has also been arrested.
According to a source from the Panruti All Women Police Station, 31-year-old daily wage labourer Madhan (name changed), of LR Palayam in Panruti, married 21-year-old Rani (name changed) in 2018. The couple have a two-year-old boy. Madhan was addicted to liquor, and the lockdown deprived him of a proper income for the past year.
Madhan borrowed money from his friends Sundaramorthy (25) and Manikandan (26) of V Andikuppam village on multiple occasions, and since he couldn't repay them, he allegedly offered them a physical relationship with his wife instead.
In December 2020, he gave his wife a pill, saying it was a vitamin tablet, a police source said, adding that Rani fell unconscious after consuming it. Madhan then allegedly called Sundaramorthy to his house and let him rape Rani. When the woman regained consciousness, she realised what had happened and scolded Madhan.
A few days later, Madhan brought Manikandan home when the two of them were drunk, and Manikandan raped Rani, who was asleep, the police said. The woman woke up in shock, and shouted at Manikandan, who then fled. She then attacked Madhan with firewood, the police added.
Rani took their son and moved to her mother's house after the incident, and Madhan allegedly regularly visited and asked her to "cooperate" with his friends. On Monday, Rani lodged a complaint against Ezhumalai and his two friends at the Panruti All Women Police Station.
A case was registered and the three men were arrested. After an inquiry, they were presented before the Panruti magistrate on Tuesday and remanded in the Cuddalore Central Prison.
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