Duo held for circulating casteist audio clip that sparked riots on election day

The two belong to the community they spoke ill of.
Duo held for circulating casteist audio clip that sparked riots on election day

PUDUKKOTTAI: Two persons, namely Selvakumar (34), son of Ganesan and Vasanth (30), son of Chandrasekar, hailing from Pattukkottai in Thanjavur were arrested for making and spreading a casteist audio clip that sparked off riots in Ponnamaravathi on election day. The two belong to the community they spoke ill of.

IG Central Zone V Varadharaju said the audio was released with the intent to consolidate votes in Thanjavur Lok Sabha constituency. But the plan backfired and the fallout was seen in Ponnamaravathi, which falls under Sivaganga parliamentary constituency.

Selvakumar works in Singapore and was arrested when he returned here. Varadharaju said  the audio was made in Singapore by Selvakumar on the advice of Vasanth. In the audio, two men can be heard speaking ill about the Mutharaiyars.

Varadharaju said the audio was made on April 14 in Singapore and circulated here on April 17. On April 18, the clip created unrest in Ponnamaravathi. The next day (April 19), according to the police 2,000 people gathered in front of Ponnamaravathi police station demanding the arrest of those behind making the audio. The protest turned into a riot after police vehicles and buses were damaged and two police officers injured by stone-pelting. This was followed by promulgation of Section 144 in Ponnamaravathi.

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