Kerala women manhandle and pour black oil on vlogger for derogatory post

A person who made a social media past insulting women was manhandled and black oil was poured on him by three women, including popular dubbing artiste Bhagyalakshmy, in Thiruvananthapuram.

While vlogger Vijay P Nair, who made the derogatory post was booked by the police, a case was also registered against the three women on the basis of a petition filed by Nair.

The row was over a video post by Nair a few weeks ago in which he asks why feminists, especially those in Kerala, do not wear underwear. He also specifically named some known women including an aged and very well known poetess and couple of women who fought for the entry of women to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.

Bhagyalakshmi, activists Diya Sana and Sreelakhmsi Arackal allegedly barged into his lodge room in the city and manhandled him on Saturday evening. Black oil was also poured on him and he was made to tender an open apology for the post. The women also took away his mobile phone and laptop. The incident was aired live on social media.

While Bhagyalakshmi's justification for the act was inaction by police on a complaint against Nair, the police maintained that a complaint against Nair was received only on Saturday and a case was also registered against Nair by Saturday evening after preliminary verification. The women also lodged a police complaint accusing Nair of misbehaving with them when they went to his room to talk about the incident.

With the video of the three women manhandling Nair going viral, the police asked Nair if he had any complaint. But he maintained that he had no complaint. However, he lodged a complaint against the three women accusing of them trespassing, theft, manhandling and abusing. A case was registered against the women on the basis of the complaint.

Thriruvananthapuram city deputy commissioner of police Divya V Gopinath told DH that investigations in the case were progressing and further steps like arrest would be taken subsequently.

At present, two cases were registered against Nair and the sections invoked against him included IPC 354 for assault or criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty.

The DCP also said that there was no inordinate delay in taking action on the complaint against Nair regarding the post. The complaint was received on Saturday only and a case registered by evening itself after preliminary verification by the cyber police, which required some time.