J. Vivek (51), who came out of jail this May after serving a five-year term imposed by a court for his association with the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and providing arms training to its cadre, petitioned Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao on Monday, alleging continuous harassment and stalking by ‘Q’ Branch sleuths.
In his petition, he said ever since he came out of jail, a few ‘Q’ branch personnel were stalking him day and night. “They roam around in my neighbourhood and follow me wherever I go,” he claimed.
“Since I am a diabetic and have heart ailments, I recently had to go to Chennai. A few ‘Q’ Branch policemen travelled with me on the same bus,” he alleged.
Stating that he wanted to lead a peaceful life as a law-abiding citizen, he told the media here on Monday that the police harassment was causing him mental trauma.
He also claimed that the police threatened the owner of his rented house in Goripalayam. “They have been speaking ill of me in the neighbourhood and asking everyone to not talk to me. Recently, they told my house owner that cases would be foisted against her if she allowed me to stay there,” he alleged.
Acknowledging that it might be the duty of ‘Q’ Branch police to keep him under surveillance, Mr. Vivek, however, said stalking him continuously and ensuring that he did not even get accommodation anywhere was unacceptable.
