Things soured after a month

SHE was initially happy in her relationship with Pathip Selvan, but things soured later.

Yesterday, two of Jeevitha's friends, Uthiswaran Hendry Asirvatham, a full-time NS man, and Viknesh Rajandran, who is unemployed, told the court about the relationship.

Viknesh, 17, said: "About a month thereafter, she started having quarrels with Baby. She started complaining to me that he would get angry at her easily and was over-possessive.

"She told me that whenever she went out, she would have to inform Baby where she was going and what time she would be returning home. Baby would tell her what time she should be back at home and had to call him when she returned."

Yesterday, Viknesh also told the court how Pathip Selvan would get angry when Jeevitha did not do what he wanted her to.

He added that she wanted to break up but he threatened to harm another friend of theirs, Mr Kartigesan Yanamani.
Mr Kartigesan testified yesterday how some time in May last year, when Jeevitha was staying in his flat, he heard knocks on his door.

When he opened it, he saw Pathip Selvan standing outside with a knife in his right hand.

Mr Kartigesan, who is currently unemployed, said Pathip Selvan appeared angry and she ran into the bedroom and locked the door as soon as she saw him.

He said: "Baby told me that he wanted to talk to Jeevitha. I told him to calm down but he started creating a scene outside my apartment.

"Afterwards, he calmed down and I allowed him into my apartment. He was still holding the knife when he went to the bedroom and asked Jeevitha to open the door but she refused.

"He then threatened to stab me, and he said that so Jeevitha would be scared and open the door."

Upon hearing the threat, Mr Kartigesan said, she opened the door and Pathip Selvan went in and closed the door after him.

Mr Kartigesan said Jeevitha and Pathip Selvan left the flat with him the next day when he left for work.

He said: "I don't know what happened to the knife. Later, she called me at work and said Baby tried to rape her (in the room) that night.

"He also threatened to beat her."

This article was first published in The New Paper.