Tirupur Court Employee Held for Attacking Sessions Judge
In a shocking incident from Tirupur, a staff member of the First Additional District and Sessions Court was arrested by police on Friday. The arrest was made on serious charges of assaulting a judge at her residence.
The accused has been identified as Baranitharan, a 24-year-old from Perundurai, who worked as an office assistant at the court. The victim is Judge M E Padma, aged 54, who resides with her ailing father in Kurinji Nagar near Sheriff Colony in Tirupur city.
Background and the Dispute Over Money
Due to her father's poor health, Judge Padma had employed Baranitharan's assistance for household chores beyond his court duties. He regularly helped with shopping and other tasks.
According to police sources, the trouble began over financial matters. Baranitharan was entrusted with buying groceries for the judge's household. However, he developed a habit of not returning the balance money after making purchases.
This issue came to a head on Thursday when Judge Padma confronted Baranitharan about the missing funds. The confrontation took a violent and unexpected turn.
A Violent Confrontation Leads to Injuries
When questioned about the unreturned money, Baranitharan's reaction was extreme. He reportedly went to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and inflicted a cut injury on his own hand.
Seeing this act of self-harm, Judge Padma intervened to stop him. In the ensuing struggle, the judge also suffered cut injuries. The situation escalated from a verbal inquiry into a physical altercation resulting in harm to both individuals.
Legal Action and Custody
Following the incident, Judge M E Padma filed a formal complaint with the Tirupur South Police. Law enforcement officials promptly registered a case based on her statement.
Police arrested Baranitharan in connection with the assault. He was produced before a court on Friday and has been remanded to judicial custody as the investigation proceeds.
This case has sent ripples through the local judicial community, highlighting a breach of trust within the court's own staff. It raises concerns about the safety of judicial officers and the conduct of individuals in positions of ancillary trust within the legal system.
