Tamil Nadu cops arrest TV actress for donning police uniform in Facebook video to criticise govt action on Tuticorin protesters

A television actress was arrested in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris district on Wednesday for allegedly releasing a video on Facebook criticising the government and the Tamil Nadu police on 22 May, media reports said. The actress, 34-year-old Nilani, took to social media after violent clashes singed the town of Thoothukudi, prompting police to fire on the protesters, killing 13 persons. Nilani was clad in a police uniform in the video and said, “I am ashamed to wear this uniform after the brutal killing of many people who protested peacefully in Thoothukudi.” “They are trying to portray the peaceful protesters as terrorists,” Nilani added. She also urged the people to avoid paying taxes, buying imported goods and seeking government jobs. “The next protest that follows should be of that magnitude that it is uncontrollable by the government.”

The Hindu reported that the Vadapalani Police filed a case against her once the video went viral. Nilani went absconding soon after the police filed the case. She was nabbed on Wednesday from her relative’s house in Coonoor, Nilgiris. A report from Deccan Chronicle said that she was tracked using her mobile phone. The report also said that she was produced at the judicial magistrate court in Coonoor. The police said that she will be taken to Chennai on Thursday and produced before the court at Saidapet. She was booked under Section 419 (cheating by impersonation), Section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and Section 500 (Punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act (Punishment for cheating by impersonation by using computer resource), The Hindu added.