DMK functionary held for assaulting writer Jayamohan

The writer reportedly lost his cool while returning two packets of batter at a shop.

Writer Jayamohan at the Government Medical College Hospital at Aasaaripallam in Nagercoil on Saturday.

A grocer, also a DMK functionary, was arrested by the police for allegedly assaulting writer Jayamohan and verbally abusing his family on Friday night.

The police said that Mr. Jayamohan of Saradha Nagar near Parvathipuram bought two packets of dosa batter from a grocery store near his house on Friday night. As the batter was not good, he returned the packets after a few minutes. When the woman at the shop refused to take them back, the writer flung the packs at the shop. Even as he was leaving the spot, Selvam, a DMK functionary who owns the shop, picked a quarrel with the writer and allegedly assaulted him, the police said.

Commotion at home

Mr. Jayamohan went home but did not tell anything about the incident to his wife or daughter. A while later, an inebriated Selvam went to the writer’s home and abused him, his wife and daughter, the police said.

The writer’s family members persuaded him to lodge a police complaint and get treated for the bruises. Mr. Jayamohan filed a complaint with Nesamony Nagar police on Friday night.

The police registered a case against Selvam under Sections 294 (b) (uttering obscene words to verbally abuse), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and arrested him.

Narrating the incident in his social media post, Mr. Jayamohan recounted that Selvam, after verbally abusing him, hit him on the jaw. When he fell in the impact, his spectacles broke and Selvam kicked him even as he lay on the ground.

“Even after I returned home, Selvam came to my house and verbally abused me, my wife and my daughter. He tried to enter our house forcibly. When I was at the police station to lodge a complaint, I could understand the person’s connection as advocates and office-bearers of political parties came to his rescue. DMK’s Nagercoil City secretary Mahesh, who tried to pacify me, left the spot later as he failed in his attempt,” Mr. Jayamohan added.

The writer who is best known for his literary works including epics, novels and short stories, have also written story/screenplay to over dozen movies including Balaa's Naan Kadavul , Mani Ratnam's Kadal , Papanasam , Shankar's 2.o ., and Sarkar.