The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Chennai City Police on Saturday sealed the office premises of ‘Karuppar Kootam’, a Tamil Youtube channel run by Periyarist activists, which released an allegedly derogatory video on Kandha Shasti Kavasam. The sealing comes close on the heels of the arrest of its two prominent members.
A senior police officer said, “As per section 165 of the Criminal Procedure Code, we conducted a search in the office premises on Boag Road, T.Nagar and recovered certain materials from there. The premises were sealed. Further investigations are on.”
Kanda Shasti Kavacham is a Hindu devotional song composed by Devaraya Swamigal on Lord Muruga in 1820. The song is popular in the houses of devotees of Muruga. Recently, the YouTube channel, propagating atheist views, had uploaded a clip titled ‘Kandha Shasti Kavasam-Kathakalatchebam’ which contained abusive and insulting language against Hindu gods.
The office bearers of the State BJP had lodged a complaint with City Police Commissioner Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal on Monday. Following the complaint, the Cyber Crime Wing of CCB booked a case against the group under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A(1)(a) (promoting enmity between different groups), 295(A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings), 505(1)(b) (whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public) and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
A special team of police personnel led by Additional Deputy Commissioner Saravanakumar and Assistant Commissioner of Police, S. Prabakaran arrested Surendran alias Nathigan, a prominent anchor of ‘Karuppar Kootam’ in Ariyankuppam, Puducherry on Thursday. The team had also arrested M. Senthilvasan, 49 in Velachery on Wednesday for allegedly uploading the video. Both were remanded in judicial custody.