KARUR: In yet another attack on freedom of expression, novelist ‘Puliyur’ Murugesan was physically attacked in Karur by a section of the Kongu Vellalar community for allegedly portraying their community women in a bad light in his recent compendium of short stories.
Murugesan (45), an LIC agent and writer, had released his collection of short stories titled Balach-andran Enroru Peyarum Enaku Undu (Balachandran is also one of my names) on December 28.
The 205-page book contains 13 short stories, published by Ambiram. It is his fourth book, according to Tamil enthusiasts here.
It was one of the short stories about a relationship between a man and his daughter in-law that triggered the community’s anger. People of the Kongu Vellalar community from Puliyur resorted to a road blockade against the author, who is from another community, on the Tiruchy-Karur road here.
Earlier, sources said the agitators picketed Murugesan’s house in Puliyur and physically assaulted him. He was then allegedly abducted and taken to a remote location, where he was severely thrashed.
On hearing about the incident, Pasupathipalayam police rushed to the spot, rescued the author and admitted him in a Karur hospital, said the sources.
After the incident, the community members convened a public gathering at the Kaliamman temple and decided to protest against the writer. They wanted the writer to apologise for his controversial plot, and sought his arrest as well.
Tamil enthusiast Melai Palaniappan, while dubbing it as an attack on freedom of expression, claimed that Murugesan has not mentioned any particular community in the story.