Pollachi/Chennai: Traders in Pollachi are planning a protest shutdown on Tuesday and a rally to demand a court-monitored probe by the CBI in the serial sexual abuse-cum-blackmail case. Speaking to IANS, a trader said the shutdown and rally would see participation of various political parties and social groups as well. After days of protests by students, political parties and various social organisations, it was relatively calm in Pollachi on Saturday. However, protests were held in some parts of the state.
Four persons — Thirunavukkarasu, Sathish, Sabarirajan and Vasanthakumar — all in their 20s, have been accused of sexually assaulting women in Pollachi and filming the act to blackmail them for money or for physical submission for over 7 years. The students and other social groups are holding protests for the past several days, demanding stringent punishment for the culprits.
In Madurai, the members of a women’s organisation protested by tying their eyes with a strip of black cloth, while in Karur members of the CPI-M held protests. The Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Dept (CBCID) has taken one of the prime accused, Thirunavukkarasu, to an undisclosed location for interrogation. The CBCID got custody of Thirunavukkarasu on Friday. It has written to social media firms, requesting removal of videos relating to the Pollachi abuse case.
On Friday, the Madras HC ordered the TN govt to pay Rs25 lakh to a woman whose name was revealed twice by the govt in the Pollachi sexual assault case. It also asked the govt to remove all clips from the net. Meanwhile, a car driver from Nagapattinam was arrested on Saturday for sexually abusing a 22-year-old woman with police saying he might have lured several women after promising to marry them.
