It’s been two days since a devastated Kumaramangalam and his wife have gone to work. Their child too has not gone to school. On Monday, their house was demolished by a group of people in full view of the police when the couple was away at work and the child was at school. The family has not recovered from the shock.

“I have lost my house in which I grew up. Now, I do not want to lose my family. What if they kidnap my son and harm my wife to take revenge on me for filing a complaint,”asks Mr. Kumaramangalam.

“They are so powerful that they brought an earthmover and demolished my house while the police could not do anything. They have created such a fear psychosis in the area that even my neighbours are not talking to me,” Mr. Kumaramangalam told The Hindu.

“I never in my wildest dream imagined that I would have to live on the footpath despite having my own house. The neighbours have stopped talking to me, fearing the wrath of the goons,” he said.

A childhood friend offered help and allowed the family to stay at night in his house but it is small with one bedroom and “we feel we are imposing ourselves there,” Mr. Kumaramangalam said. He said that the Lion Club Eye hospital where his wife works as a nurse, has offered to provide shelter to the family. “My relatives who are coming from Ernakulam will hopefully help me. I am planning to build a makeshift house and live there till things settle. I do not have any other house and I do not want to leave this property,” he said.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Kamal Panth said eight persons had been arrested so far. An investigation has been ordered to ascertain lapses on part of the police in handling the situation, Mr. Panth said.

According to the police, the accused are related to a sitting legislator and investigation is on to ascertain their exact role in the crime.