ARIYALUR: Police in Ariyalur have arrested BJP district president K Ayyappan under six sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for his provocative speech during a protest in front of the District Collector's office on December 1.
BJP held the protest demanding the state government to reduce taxes on petrol and diesel. This was led by Ayyappan. During his speech, he reportedly spoke provocatively against the government. He said, "If the state government fails to cut fuel taxes, we are even ready to conduct a suicide attack as per our state president's order." The video clip of his speech had gone viral on social media.
Based on the complaint from the VAO of Walajah Nagar, police arrested Ayyappan from his residence in Jayankondam on Friday.
He was booked under six sections of the IPC which include 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace.—Whoever intentionally insults, and thereby gives provocation to any person, intending or knowing it to be likely that such provocation will cause him to break the public peace, or to commit any other offense, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both).
The other sections are 153 (2), 153A (1) (b), 153B (1) (c), 505 (1) (b), 505 (2), 506 (2) and 506 (II) IPC.
Later, he was produced before the magistrate in Ariyalur court. The magistrate ordered to remand him for 15 days. Following this, he was lodged in Jayankondam sub-jail.
A senior police officer in Ariyalur told The New Indian Express, "We arrested Ayyappan for his speech threatening a suicide attack."
It is to be noted that two days ago, state vice president of BJP OBC wing, K Agoram, was arrested by the Jayankondam police for his controversial remarks on the Chief Minister, during a similar protest.