No sooner did 32-year-old Sri Lankan Tamil R Chenthuran (alias) Murugan step out of the Vellore Central Prison for Men than the Q branch police arrested him and shifted him to the special camp for Sri Lankan refugees in Chengalpet in Kancheepuram district.
The State Home Department passed a government order on March 2, 2014, to file a case against Chenthuran under the provision of the Foreigners Act to restrain his movements and activities outside the camp.
The person arrested under this Act should comply with conditions as prescribed or specified requiring him to reside in a particular place and imposing any restriction on his movements..
The police officer, privy to the arrest of Chenthuran who staged hunger protest several times demanding closure of special camps for Sri Lankan Tamils and highlight their plight in such camps, disclosed that they received the specific direction from the Home Department.
“Chenthuran cannot leave the special camp without obtaining permission from the Kancheepuram Collector,” said an official in the ditrict administration.
Chenthuran was whisked away from Vellore prison amid a sea of supporters, mostly from the MDMK party, who waited outside the prison. He was arrested on March 3 and remanded to Vellore prison.