Sterlite activist who confronted Rajini suspected in bike theft case

Samkumar (24), a resident of Muthukrishnapuram in Thoothukudi, had lost his two-wheeler in front of his house recently and had lodged a complaint with the Vadabhagam police, who registered a case and were searching for the vehicle.

Meanwhile, Samkumar was shocked to see an advertisement on OLX with the picture of his motorcycle for sale and he immediately contacted the ‘seller’ through one of his friends.

The ‘seller’ had reportedly asked Samkumar to come to Caldwell Colony to see the vehicle. Samkumar, along with his friends, went to the spot and saw his bike that went missing from his house. 

Subsequently, Samkumar left the place, promising to return with money to buy the bike. Soon, he went to the police station and narrated the incident and the police accompanied him in plainclothes with money.

Soon after they handed over the money, the police in plainclothes secured three youth who displayed the advertisement on OLX. 

Upon inquiry, they were identified as Santhosh Raj (23) from Pandarampatti, Mani (23) from Caldwell Colony and Saravanan (23) from Asiriyar Colony. They were later arrested.

Among the accused, Santhosh Raj was an ‘activist’ who asked actor Rajinikanth ‘who are you?’, when the actor visited the victims of the anti-Sterlite protest firing in which 13 lost their lives. 

Santhosh, who became very popular after asking the question to Rajinikanth, had founded a student union but no one turned to join him.

He had also questioned AIADMK Minister Kadambur Raju when he came to Tuticorin and visited the affected persons one by one and assured that the state would do everything for the people.

When the minister met Santhosh, he asked him to write it down on paper and the minister refused and left in a hurry without meeting anyone else.

Actor Rajinikanth on Saturday submitted a petition before the Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission of Inquiry, probing the police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters in Tuticorin in May 2018, seeking exemption from his personal appearance, citing inconvenience to public. He, however, said he was ready to answer the questions to be posed by the inquiry commission, which has summoned him to appear before it on February 25, in writing.  After visiting the victims in the hospital after the  police firing, Rajini blamed the anti-social elements for the arson and violence, leading to the 100-day anti-Sterlite protests turning violent, resulting in police firing, in which 13 people were killed.