Ariyalur Police have arrested the district unit president of the BJP, Ayyappan (48), on Friday on charges of making provocative remarks.
While speaking at a demonstration organised by the party in front of the Ariyalur District Collectorate on Wednesday urging the ruling DMK government to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel, Ayyappan had allegedly stated that the party cadre were ready to even carry out “suicide attacks as per the instructions of the party’s State president” if the prices of petrol and diesel were not reduced within a week. Police sources said the alleged remarks by Ayyappan were aimed at disturbing public tranquillity and harmony, besides causing hatred.
The Ariyalur Police booked a case against Ayyappan under IPC sections including 153 A (1) (b) (committing any act which is prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities, and which disturbs or is likely to disturb the public tranquillity); 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot); 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 505 (1) (b) (intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquillity). He was later remanded in judicial custody.
