COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore district police have registered a case against a TVK functionary for sexually harassing a woman party office-bearer, while two others have been booked for abusing and threatening her on caste grounds.

According to the police, Karuppusamy (39), the party's Karamadai union secretary, had convened a meeting of party panchayat secretaries in Karamadai on May 18. The meeting continued until 11 pm.

After the meeting, a 29-year-old woman panchayat secretary from a village near Karamadai, whose home was about 15 km away, sought assistance to travel back safely on her moped. Karuppusamy accompanied her but sexually harassed her midway, prompting her to object.

She further alleged that Karuppusamy later removed her as panchayat secretary and appointed another woman in her place. In a separate incident, two other party functionaries, Sabitha (25) and her husband Pandithurai (30), allegedly visited her residence, abused her using caste-related slurs and threatened her.

Based on her complaint, the Karamadai police registered a case against Karuppusamy on Friday for sexual harassment and against the couple for criminal intimidation and offences under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Further investigation is underway.