Four boys, aged between 15 and 16 years, who were arrested by the police during and after Monday’s clash between the anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project protesters and the police near Idinthakarai, are now facing serious charges including sedition.
All the four – one each from Vairaavikinaru, Idinthakarai and two from Kudankulam - have been lodged in the Juvenile Home on the South Bypass Road near the western entrance of Vaeinthaankulam New Bus Stand in Tirunelveli.
If the sedition charges framed against them are proved, they can be punished with imprisonment for life.
The Kudankulam police have registered a case against the boy from Vairaavikinaru under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 431 (damaging road, bridge, river, channel etc.), 121(A) (conspiring to overawe, by means of criminal force or the show of criminal force, the Central Government or any State Government), 395 (dacoity), 307 (attempt to murder) r/w 149 IPC (unlawful assembly) and Sec 3 of TNPPDL Act (causing damage to public property).
The boy from Idinthakarai, who was reportedly arrested during the clash, is facing charges under Sections 147, 148, 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) r/w 144 Cr. P. C and 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation), 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 307, 427 (mischief to cause minor damage) IPC r/w 149 IPC and Section 13 of Unlawful Assembly Act and Section 3 of TNPPDL Act.
Of the four, the children from Kundankulam are facing grave charges as they have been booked under Sections 147,148, 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 431, 188 IPC r/w 144 Cr. P. C., ,291 (continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue), 294(b), 121 (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India), 124(A) (sedition) 307 IPC r/w 149 IPC and 3 of TNPPDL ACT and Section 4 of Endangered Species Act.
Keywords: Kudankulam, anti-nuclear protests, PMANE, juveniles
seriously ? sedition?
This is one way to make these people "naxals." The authorities should warn these guys and let them go home. However, they should watch them for some period until they turn as adults. If they repeat the criminal activities again, they should charge them and put them behind the bar for life.
This is definitely not a satyagraha as the protesters claim. How could they let the kids and
children occupy the front lines of the protest? Generally indian poor are not a ideologically
driven lot. They have enough commonsense to listen, discuss and debate. But if the poor in
kudankulam are doing otherwise, it clearly points to people with questionable credentials
contaminating the minds of the poor.
Very misleading title and choice of words. A 15 year old is not a child. Teenager/youth would have been more appropriate. We say that 18+ is adult but it is not to mean that on their 18th birthday people somehow get all powers of reason.
the way govt. is dealing the protesters of kudankulam, it seems that
perhaps govt. is bowing to some international commitment. govt should
start dialogue with them and should learn lession from japan.
'Sedition charges' were used extensively by the british in India with ample help from the local police force to castrate our freedom movement. It appears nothing much has changed in 'free' India when we accuse our own citizens of sedition who were protesting against nuclear energy. It is a telling statement that we have a pseudo-fascist government and a police force which prefers to adopt the role of 'nazi' gestapo henchmen in quelling dissent. Democracy as always has been a myth in India. Jai Hind!
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