MADURAI: Documentary filmmaker Divya Bharathi on Monday alleged that Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT) party leader Dr K Krishnasamy had instigated his partymen to send her death threats.
Addressing the media here, Divya, who is also the Madurai District Convenor of the All India Students Association (AISA), stated that (WhatsApp) messages were being spread by members of the PT. “The message that has listed my mobile number speaks of a bounty of Rs 2 crore on my head,” she claimed.
“The callers who claim affiliation to the PT and the BJP continue to send death threats and make derogatory remarks. They have threatened to file a suit against me seeking a ban on my documentary,” said Divya, adding that she has been receiving thousands of anonymous calls for the past four days.
The activist had directed the documentary film Kakkoos highlighting the practice of manual scavenging in the State. Clearing air on the documentary, first screened in February, Divya said it was not aimed at portraying a certain community in bad light.
“The documentary was intended to highlight the prevalence of manual scavenging and to uplift the downtrodden. Unfortunately, it has been politicised,” said Divya, who has lodged a complaint with the police commissioner. She said she might seek police protection if the issue persisted.
The 25-year-old filmmaker was arrested last week and later let off on conditional bail in connection with an eight-year-old case, in which she and four others were booked for participating in a stir following the death of a college student who was bitten by a snake.
Meanwhile, PT State Youth Wing Secretary Bhaskar Madhuram lodged a complaint with Madurai Police on Monday seeking legal action against Divya for wrongly portraying the caste (to which the complainant belongs) in her documentary film Kakkoos.