PMK Leader Sowmiya Anbumani Arrested During Protest Over Anna University Sexual Assault Case

Anna University Sexual Assault Case: Sowmiya Anbumani, wife of PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss and other party members were detained shortly after the agitation started at Valluvar Kottam.

Ahead of the protest, over 300 police personnel were deployed at Valluvar Kottam.

Source : X

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Sowmiya Anbumani was arrested for attempting to stage a protest at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai on Thursday against the sexual assault of a student at Anna University. The protest, organised by the PMK women’s wing, was held after police denied permission. Sowmiya Anbumani, wife of PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss and other party members were detained shortly after the start of agitation.

Ahead of the protest, over 300 police personnel were deployed at Valluvar Kottam. Sowmiya Anbumani and her party members proceeded with the agitation.

அண்ணா பல்கலைகழகம் வளாகத்திற்குள் பாலியல் வன்கொடுமை செய்யப்பட்ட மாணவிக்கு நீதி வேண்டியும், தமிழக பெண்களுக்கு பாதுகாப்பு கோரியும், திமுக அரசைக் கண்டித்து, வள்ளுவர் கோட்டத்தில் நடைபெற்ற ஆர்ப்பாட்டத்தில் காவல்துறையினரால் கைது செய்யப்பட்டு மண்டபத்தில்..!#AnnaUniversityIssue |… pic.twitter.com/3wukhNIutP

— Sowmiya Anbumani (@Sowmiyanbumani) January 2, 2025

 

Anna University Sexual Assault

The protest was in response to a incident when a second-year Anna University student was sexually assaulted in the campus while she was with her friend. According to the victim’s complaint, she and her male friend, a senior student, were attacked while sitting in a secluded area on campus after attending a midnight Christmas mass. The assailant reportedly assaulted the male friend before dragging the victim to a nearby shrub and raping her.

Police soon arrested the accused, a 37-year-old named Gnanshekharan, who has been charged with the crime. Gnanshekharan was a biryani vendor at a small roadside truck. 

Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai also staged a symbolic protest outside his residence in Coimbatore, flogging himself six times to highlight what he termed the "deteriorating law and order situation" in the state.

Earlier, Naam Tamilar Katchi chief Seeman, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam N. Anand were also arrested for staging a protest against the alleged law and order issues in the state in the wake of the sexual assault case. Meanwhile, DMK's ally VCK demanded a fair probe into the crime.