Senthamarai, 65 and Shanmugavel, 70 were the star attractions at the Independence Day event in Chennai. The CCTV footage of the couple displaying exceptional courage in warding off the attack by two masked robbers at their home in Kalyanipuram in Tirunelveli district on Sunday night had gone viral. On Thursday in Chennai, the couple received a special award from chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami.
The Tirunelveli district collector had had recommended the names of the couple to the state government for a bravery award. The couple is an example of how to fight back in the face of adversity.
Shanmugavel is a lemon wholesale dealer while his wife is a homemaker. They have been living at that farmhouse for the last 40 years. She was reportedly speaking to her son over phone when she heard her husband’s cries and rushed out to see him being attacked. She threw everything from slippers, stool and chair at the burglars in order to chase them away.