Advocate Vanchinathan's house and office raided by Thoothukudi police
MADURAI: The Thoothukudi police have inspected the house and office of advocate Vanchinathan, who arrested for on charges of instigating violence during protests on May 22 in Thoothukudi against the expansion of a copper smelter, in Madurai on Wednesday.
Nearly 13 people were killed in police firing on May, after the agitation turned violent. The copper plant has since been ordered shut down. The advocate Vanchinathan, the state coordinator of People's Right Protection Center, was arrested by the Thoothukudi police at Chennai's airport.
The Thoothukudi police had booked cases against him under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act, 1992.
Following this the police team led by Inspector Suresh had reached his home and office in KK Nagar in the city for conducting raid. During the raid it was said that they recovered few properties including photos and pamphlets of the advocate and taken to Thoothukudi.
The raid lasted for more than thirty minutes. As he might likely to be charged in another cases, the police had inspected the house and office and seized the properties, added sources.