Protesters at Pulianthope police station beaten up

Chennai: Tension prevailed in Pulianthope police station after cops beat up four persons who crashed into the barricades while a section of activists from various outfits besieged the police station condemning the custodial violence allegedly unleashed on a youth who had burnt the national flag, on Monday.

At least 100 members of TPDK (Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kalagam), DVK (Dravida Viduthalai Kalagam), TNM (Tamil Nationalist Movement) and May 17 movement attempted to take out a rally towards Pulianthope police station from Thiru Vi Ka statue in Pattalam market.

On February 1, Dhilipan Mahendran, (25), who kicked up a controversy in social networking sites by posting images of burning the national flag, was arrested on charges of insulting the national honour. “During custodial interrogation, the youth was reportedly beaten black and blue.

A cop also broke the youth’s hand. However, the cops had recorded the fracture in the youth’s hand as one sustained in the fall occurred while he attempted to flee from the police custody,” said a protester.

TPDK functionary Karu Annamalai said the cops are at liberty to take action against the youth legally, but not in the form of custodial violence, which is extra-judicial.

Apprehending protests, police stepped up their bandobust to the police station besides barricading the nearby junction.

The protesters who attempted to force their way into the barricades were prevented and whisked away in the police vehicles.

As protesters were removed, a quartet that came out of nowhere crashed into barricade and rallied to the police station.

Caught unaware, the striking force complementing the reserve force for the protest reacted to the breach.

The cops grabbed, all four of them. All the four were given a sound thrashing in full public view in front of the police station until a senior cop involved in bandobust intervened. The protesters argued as to why police were resorting to violence instead of arresting them.

The four also attempted to squat on the road. Even as the quartet continued to raise slogans against police excess, they were removed from the spot in a separate vehicle.

All those arrested were taken to a community hall from there they were released in the evening.