Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai staged a dramatic protest on Friday, whipping himself in front of a crowd outside his residence in Coimbatore to demand justice for the victim in the Anna University sexual assault case. A widely circulated video showed Annamalai carrying out the self-flagellation, which he had announced a day earlier.
Annamalai had pledged to whip himself six times at 10 a.m. on December 27 to draw attention to the sexual assault of a College of Engineering, Guindy student and to condemn what he described as police inaction and the Tamil Nadu government's "apathy" in addressing such cases. He further declared that he would walk barefoot and refrain from wearing sandals until the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) regime was ousted.
Allegations of Political Connections
Speaking at a press conference, Annamalai accused the arrested suspect, Gnanasekaran, of being affiliated with the ruling DMK. Displaying photographs purportedly showing the accused with DMK leaders, the BJP leader claimed Gnanasekaran was an office-bearer of the DMK’s student wing.
The allegations were denied by Tamil Nadu Law Minister S. Regupathi, who stated that the accused was not even a primary member of the DMK. Regupathi further dismissed claims that Gnanasekaran’s political affiliations had influenced the police investigation.
“The accused committed the crime emboldened by his association with the ruling party,” Annamalai alleged. He also questioned the use of Nirbhaya funds allocated to prevent crimes against women and criticized the handling of the First Information Report (FIR), claiming it was written in a manner that blamed the victim.
“The DMK government should be ashamed of disclosing the victim’s identity,” Annamalai added, calling for accountability from the administration.
The incident occurred on December 23 at approximately 8 p.m. on the Anna University campus. According to the victim’s complaint, she was sexually assaulted by an unknown individual while with a male friend.
In response, four police teams were formed, leading to the arrest of 37-year-old Gnanasekaran, a pavement biryani vendor from Kottur, a neighborhood near the college.
“Based on scientific evidence, Gnanasekaran has been arrested for this crime,” police said in a statement. The suspect reportedly confessed to the crime and is being investigated for possible involvement in other offenses.
The inquiry is ongoing with the cooperation of the university’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), and authorities continue to explore additional leads.
The protest highlights escalating tensions between the BJP and DMK in Tamil Nadu, with the BJP using the case to spotlight alleged lapses in governance and law enforcement under the DMK regime.
The Anna University incident has sparked widespread outrage and reignited concerns about campus safety and the treatment of sexual assault cases in Tamil Nadu.
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