Deepam row | Tamil Nadu BJP chief, 112 others booked over Thiruparankundram lamp lighting protest

Madurai (Tamil Nadu): The police on Friday registered a case against 113 people, including Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagenthran , senior party leader H Raja, and six women, who participated in a protest on December 4 to push for the lighting of a lamp at the top of the Thiruparankundram hill, officials said.

They were booked on charges of disturbing public peace, among others.

Nagenthran and Raja were among those detained by the police for a couple of hours last night. Sources said they were released around 11.20 pm on Thursday.

A single-judge of Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had ordered the lighting of the lamp on a pillar at the top of the Thiruparankundram hill and also revoked the 144 prohibitory orders issued in the area by the district administration on December 4.

Following the order, the petitioner, the BJP state chief and other senior party leaders and Hindu Munnani workers visited Thiruparankundram on Thursday.

However, police stopped them and said no one was allowed on the hill.

Sources said when the protesters persisted on climbing, they were taken into custody, transported in police vehicles and detained in private halls.

The BJP members protested the arrest and blocked the road. Eventually, more than 300 BJP members were detained in various halls. All of them were released last night, added a police source.

Following this, on Friday morning, Thiruparankundram police registered a case under sections 189(2) and (3) dealing with unlawful assembly and unlawful assembly after being ordered to disperse; 126 (2) (wrongful restraint); 132 (assaulting public servant); 196(2) (promoting enimity between groups); 353(3) (spreading false statements, rumours); and 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) of BNS.