The Greater Chennai Police arrested AIADMK Students&rsquo; Wing Secretary, Singai Ramachandran, along with others, while attempting to distribute black armbands to students of Anna University in protest against a recent sexual assault case.
The protest was held despite the police denying permission for demonstrations. The AIADMK student wing had announced the protest against the sexual assault of a second-year Anna University engineering student, which occurred on December 23. 
The protest was scheduled to take place outside the Anna University campus at 8.30 a.m. 
However, the police had earlier warned the student wing leaders of arrest if they proceeded with the demonstration. 
Heavy police deployment has been reported at the university campus. 
The AIADMK has announced plans to raise the arrests of their student leaders, including State Secretary Singai Ramachandran, in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which begins its session in the day. 
The assault occurred on December 23 when a second-year engineering student and her male friend, a senior at the university, were sitting in a secluded area of the campus after attending a Christmas program. 
According to the victim&rsquo;s complaint, the accused attacked her male friend, brutally assaulting him, before dragging her into nearby shrubs and raping her.
The police acted swiftly and arrested a 37-year-old roadside biryani vendor, Gnanshekharan, for the crime. 
The incident has sparked outrage across the state. Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai staged a dramatic protest outside his residence in Coimbatore, where he flogged himself six times to symbolize what he called the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
He also announced plans to undertake a 48-day fast and visit all six holy abodes of Lord Murugan as part of his protest. Annamalai criticised the Tamil Nadu Police for leaking the FIR of the case, which revealed the identity of the 19-year-old victim, a violation of her privacy.
He also alleged that the accused, Gnanshekharan, was not included in the police&rsquo;s rowdy list despite having over 20 prior cases against him. 
He claimed this was due to the accused&rsquo;s connections with leaders of the ruling DMK party. 
The BJP chief, a former IPS officer, presented evidence that the accused was a functionary of the DMK. 
He accused the party of attempting to divert attention from Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s law and order issues by fabricating a narrative around a North-South divide. 
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has announced plans to submit a detailed report on the incident to the Centre. NCW member Mamta Kumari visited Anna University to investigate the case. &ldquo;We visited every corner of Anna University and conducted a thorough investigation. We met with the affected girl and her family to gather all the necessary information. We also met the Governor of Tamil Nadu to discuss the matter,&rdquo; Mamta Kumari stated. 
She further added, &ldquo;A detailed report will be submitted to the Central government through the NCW. Whoever is found guilty will face strict punishment.&ldquo;&nbsp;
&mdash;IANS

Protesters detained outside Anna University amidst tensions

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January 6, 2025 | 15:56 IST