Pudukottai: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Jawan was arrested for allegedly vandalizing the statue of Rationalist leader E.V.Ramasamy, also popularly called as “Thanthai Periyar” near Alangudi in this district.The Alangudi police arrested S.Senthil Kumar, a CRPF jawan posted at Chhattisgarh, last night and remanded him to judicial custody, police said today.
Investigations revealed that Senthil Kumar, who came to his native Pudukottai on leave, hurled a stone that knocked off the head of the statue, in an inebriated condition in the wee hours on Tuesday. The Alangudi police has registered a case under sections 295, 153 (B) of the Indian Penal Code and also under section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Property (prevention of damage and loss) Act, 1992 for committing mischief and causing damage or loss to property.The vandalising of Periyar statue evoked strong protests from various political parties.(UNI)