CHENNAI: Amid chaotic scenes that went on for about 20 minutes, police arrested Naam Thamizhar Party founder Seeman as he was entering the Chennai Press Club to brief media on the continued killings of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan forces, here on Monday.
More than 100 police personnel were posted near the press club after Seeman announced that he would meet the press to talk about the cases foisted against him and also about the killing of Indian fishermen.
The police have been searching for Seeman to arrest him, for the past two days for allegedly making an inflammatory speech aimed at inciting violence among religious groups.
Immediately after his arrest, Seeman was produced before a George Town Magistrate Court and remanded to judicial custody. According to police, Seeman was shifted to Vellore prison and was likely to be booked under the National Security Act for repeated inflammatory speeches against India’s neighbour Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed on Wallajah Road, near the press club, after the policemen posted to arrest Seeman manhandled the media personnel who were there to cover the event.
Policemen manhandled a few photographers and television cameramen while they were covering the arrest and even a few were pushed by the men-in-khaki for ‘obstruction’.
Agitated over this, media persons staged a dharna on Wallajah Road for more than an hour, which disrupted the traffic on one stretch.
Sensing things going out of control, top police officials, who were at the scene, apologised to the media persons and only then they withdrew their protest.
On July 10, police had slapped cases against Seeman when he delivered an inflammatory speech during a demonstration to condemn the frequent attacks on Indian fishermen by the Lankan Navy.
Meanwhile in Vellore, a few members of the Vellore unit of the Iyakam staged a demonstration in front of the Vellore Central Prison when the vehicle carrying Seeman arrived.
Seeman told newsmen that the State government arrested him on no valid reasons.
Police and prison officials forcefully took him inside the prison to prevent him from talkng to media persons.