In perhaps the first case booked under the provisions of the new Domestic Violence Act 2005, the Tamil Nadu police on Saturday arrested a man at Melapalayam in Tirunelveli district on a complaint of harassment from his wife.

The act, which came into force only a couple of days ago, is meant, among other things, to provide protection to a wife from violence at the hands of her husband. Men who insult or harass their wives can be imprisoned and fined up to Rs 20,000.

The police said Bendict Mary, wife of Joseph, lodged a complaint on Saturday morning at the Melapalayam police station on the outskirts of Tirunelveli town, 450 KM from Chennai.

However, the police in the capital are awaiting a full report.

Joseph was immediately arrested. He has been lodged at the central prison at Tirunelveli.

Under the act, domestic violence includes actual abuse or the threat of abuse whether physical, sexual, verbal, emotional or economic.