Plea to release 68-year-old blacksmith

Thoothukudi District Viswakarma Samuthaaya Mahajana Paeravai has appealed to the Chief Minister and the District Collector to discharge a 68-year-old blacksmith from a case pertaining to the fabrication and supply of “lethal weapons” to criminals.

In the petition submitted during the weekly grievance redressal meet held at the Collectorate on Monday, members of Thoothukudi District Viswakarma Samuthaaya Mahajana Paeravai said a police team from Srivaikundam, who had come to the workshop of blacksmith S. Narayanan, 68, on November 23, had taken him to the Kurumbur police station after telling him that he had fabricated and supplied weapons to criminals.

Even though Mr. Narayanan had told the police that he had supplied only farm implements based on orders from farmhands, he had been assaulted by the police at the Kurumbur police station, alleged president of the Paeravai K. Murugesan.

“Blacksmiths, who do not have any knowledge about law, land in trouble for fabricating farm implements as they don’t know that making machetes or knives would attract police action. At the same time, the police, who had picked-up an old man, who has been in this profession for the past 50 years should not have tortured him. As Mr. Narayanan has only supplied farm implements, the Collector should pardon him and order his discharge from the case,” said Mr. Murugesan, who has also sent a petition to the Chief Minister and the Registrar of Madras High Court.