Even as the Salem city police arrested two women, including a university student, for distributing pamphlets with objectionable slogans on Wednesday, the Salem Citizens Forum has objected to the arrest and has presented a petition to the court seeking justice.
According to police sources, M. Valarmathi, 25, a final year M.A. (Journalism and Mass Communication) student of Periyar University, and Jayanthi, 48, were distributing pamphlets to students and passersby in front of the Government Arts College for Women in Gorimedu area of the city. They were distributing the pamphlets under the banner of Iyarkai Paadukappu Kuzhu.
The pamphlets carried slogans such as: “Let us support the agitation of the residents of Neduvasal and Kadiramangalam villages against the hydrocarbon and methane projects”; “The State government should withdraw the police force from Kadiramangalam”; and “The Centre and the State government should scrap the hydrocarbon project.”
On receiving information, the Kannankurichi police rushed to the spot and rounded them up and seized the pamphlets, which the police claimed contained slogans jeopardising national interest. Police sources said that Valarmathi, hailing from Veemanur village near here, was staying with her friend Swathi, daughter of Jayanthi, in Ponnammapettai in the city. After initial interrogation at the Ammapet police station, a police party took the women to the Ponnamapettai residence, where a thorough check was conducted. Later, the police arrested both of them under Sections 153 IPC, 505 (1 B) read with 7 (1) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act (CLA).
Asked whether the women were sympathisers of any particular movement, a senior police officer said that police is yet to find any clinching evidence to prove this.
Meanwhile, Piyush Sethia, the convener of the Salem Citizens’ Forum, submitted a petition to K. Lingam, Judicial Magistrate No. IV, taking exception to the arrest of the women who were only distributing pamphlets.
“Both of them were distributing the pamphlets without violating the law and order. It appears that the only intention of the police are to instil fear among the people to prevent them from showing solidarity with those who are agitating against various issues facing the State,” the petition said.
Mr. Piyush called upon the court to hold a fair inquiry and render justice to the two arrested women.
