Goondas Act slapped on man for poll violence

According to a statement from the Department of Police on Saturday, P Muthumalai of Nadutheru at Velanpudukulam in the district along with four others trespassed into the polling booth set up at a primary school in Velanpudukulam in Nedungulam panchayat and obstructed polling personnel from performing their duties by threatening them. The incident occurred during the first phase of polling to the rural local bodies on December 27, 2019.

Based on a complaint lodged by Charles Dhiraviam, the presiding officer of the polling booth in question, the Sathankulam police filed a case on December 28 and arrested Muthumalai and his accomplice S Paramasivan (32), a resident of Nadutheru. After holding inquiries, the Sathankulam Inspector of Police, Sridhar, forwarded a report to Superintendent of Police Arun Balagopalan for initiating necessary action against those accused of disrupting the poll proceedings. After considering the recommendations of the the Superintendent of Police, Thoothukudi Collector Sandeep Nanduri issued orders to detain Muthumalai under the Goondas Act. Following this, amidst security, the accused was taken to prison and lodged there.