PT leader detained under NSA

Puthiya Tamilagam State general secretary Kathiresan (42), who was arrested recently for attacking members of a community after stopping a funeral procession, was detained under the National Security Act.

Based on the recommendation of Superintendent of Police N.M. Mylvahanan, Collector K. Nanthakumar passed the detention order on Thursday night. Kamudhi Inspector of Police Murugan served the order on the accused at Madurai Central Prison on Friday.

Threat to harmony

He was detained under the NSA as he posed a threat to communal harmony in the district, the SP said.

The accused was also facing a case for threatening the Paramakudi Inspector of Police on September 10 for removing a flex board, which was erected without police permission on the eve of Dalit leader Immanuel Sekaran’s death anniversary, the SP added.

After the police booked Kathiresean and 17 others under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) when they objected to the funeral procession passing through their area and attacked those who carried the body at Kothanathi village on September 4, he had been evading arrest.

Acting on a complaint from K. Muthupandi (29), one of the four injured in the attack, the police arrested Kathiresan at Kamudhi bus stand on the night of October 4.