The Karivalamvanthanallur police have registered an attempt-to-murder case against Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko, his brother V. Ravichandran and 50 others for allegedly ransacking a Tasmac liquor shop at Kalingapatti on Sunday evening and pelting stones at policemen.
The police have also invoked the provisions of 11 more Sections of Indian Penal Code against Mr. Vaiko and others for the attack.
As the liquor shop at Kalingapatti was ransacked by a group of villagers after the agitation against the liquor shop turned violent on Sunday, the police resorted to lathi-charge and then fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. When a few unidentified persons threw stones some police personnel were injured.
Against this backdrop, the police registered the case on Monday against Mr. Vaiko, and others under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 294 B (uttering obscene or provocative words in public place), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 447 (criminal trespass), 307 (attempt to murder) and 435 (causing damage to property) of IPC.
Moreover, the police invoked Section 3 (1) of Tamil Nadu Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act, 1992 (damaging property).
Reacting to the registration of case against him, Mr. Vaiko said: “We never made an attempt on anyone’s life during the agitation. In fact, it was the police who targeted me by firing several rounds of teargas. It was my brother Ravichandran and Saravanan who saved my life from the attack.”
Despite the registration of case under several non-bailable sections, the police did not arrest him.Meanwhile, steps have been made to reopen the liquor shop on Wednesday. “If at all it is opened, Kalingapatti residents will not even go near the shop,” Mr. Vaiko said.
