Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol Thirumavalavan has approached the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Home Secretary and Director General of Police to provide police protection for him during the campaign for the ensuing elections and permanently thereafter on the ground that there was grave threat to his life.
His petition has been listed for hearing before Justice R. Subramanian on Monday. The petition stated that VCK had been a registered political party since 1999 and that he had been an MLA between 2001 and 2004 and MP between 2009 and 2014. He was now contesting to the Lok Sabha once again from Chidambaram constituency.
He claimed that certain caste-based political party leaders and functionaries were inimical against him since he had been vociferous in his views on caste and communal forces and “their anti-social evil acts.” They had allegedly attempted to endanger his life during his visits around the State for various political and related events.
Listing out attempts made to attack him, he said four such instances had occurred at Paravakottai village in Tiruvarur district, VC Mottur near Wallajah in Vellore district, Sathanur dam area in Tiruvannamalai district and Chembur village near Vandavasi in 2013. Right then, a representation was made to the DGP to provide police protection.
Once again on August 30, 2015, an attempt was made to attack him by a gang of 30 armed with petrol bombs at Vadacheri near Pattukottai. The local police had booked a case in connection with the incident under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and had also invoked the provisions of the Explosive Substances Act of 1908.
In this regard, another representation was made on October 13, 2016, to the Home Secretary as well as DGP to provide police protection to the petitioner. Though no prejudice would be caused to anyone by extending security to the petitioner and instead his life would be in serious danger if it was not provided, the police had not taken any action till date, the petitioner said.
