DMK Ariyalur district secretary’s e-book draws police attention

The book depicts some of the instances of the Tamil nationalist movement of 1980s
DMK Ariyalur district secretary’s e-book draws police attention

ARIYALUR: Police Intelligence wing in Ariyalur district reportedly enquired about the e-book written by the DMK district Secretary S Sivasankar. The book titled ‘Thozhar Cholan’ was released for Amazon Kindle four days ago. The book is a historical fiction based on the radical Tamil Nationalist movement, mostly in Ariyalur and Cuddalore in the 1980s.

A book cover launch was held on December 5 at a remote village of Vallam, which was once the citadel of the movement. A few real-life persons who are characterized in the story, were present there.

When the news about the book launch event spread on social media, the police Intelligence staff in the district were said to be looking for a copy of the book. Sources said that approached a few party men to get their hands on a copy of the book. However, they were told that it was exclusively available on Kindle and not in print.

“The reason for the curiosity of the Intelligence wing was particularly because of the book title that has the word ‘Thozhar’ in it. The word resonated among the members of that radical movement. The second reason was the place of book cover release - the Vallam village. When a few of the Intelligence staff asked us for a copy of the book, we told them that there was no hard copy available,” said the party men.

The book depicted some of the real instances of the Tamil Nationalist movement of 1980s, which were blended with fiction. Speaking to Express, S Sivasankar said, “When I was studying in the college, the Tamil Nationalist movement was active at my native place Andimadam. The Vallam village nearby was their stronghold. I have been planning to write a detailed non-fiction book on Vallam. However, for now, I have written Thozhar Cholan as a historical fiction.”

A few real instances in the book were the bombing of the railway bridge in Maruthaiyar near Ariyalur, the movement’s act of eliminating a local heavyweight who allegedly raped and killed a Dalit woman and the killing of radical leader of the movement ‘Tamilarasan’ during a bank robbery in Ponpparapi village, in the 1980s.

When asked, the police sources said that the enquiry was a routine exercise on the part of the Intelligence.

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The New Indian Express
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