Activist held for rumours on food poisoning at firm

MGR Nagar police booked Valarmathi under Sections 153A, 505 (1)(b) and 505 (2) and remanded her in judicial custody. Police said she posted fake information on her Facebook page that eight women employees of the private firm died of food poisoning and asked people to gather to seek justice for them.

Based on a complaint from a call taxi driver, MGR Nagar police picked Valarmathi from her house in the locality and arrested her.

More than 1,000 women workers of the Foxconn manufacturing unit near Sriperumbudur, staying in various hostels, came out on the street after receiving a message on WhatsApp groups that eight of the affected workers had died without responding to treatment. Kancheepuram Collector Dr M Aarthi had to assure them that all eight workers are safe to end the protest.