Chennai: Eight persons of the Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam were booked by the city police after a group of them attempted to tie ‘poonool’ (a sacred thread worn by Brahmins) to a pig on the occasion of Avani Avittam, a ritual of the community.
The volunteers from the fringe unit gathered in Royapettah around 10 am and released four piglets they brought even as police personnel attempted to thwart their attempts. The group had announced ‘Panrikku Poonool podum porattum’ would be held on Avani Avittam and police had refused permission to carry out such a protest.
The group then sought the intervention of Madras high court to direct authorities to grant permission last Friday.
The judge had posted the matter for hearing on Tuesday. However, the group gathered on the streets on Monday creating a public spectacle by dragging the piglets on the road with camera crews tailing them.
According to the TPDK functionaries, their protest was against brahminism. Eight functionaries were detained by Royapettah police and the piglets were also rescued from them. Animal activists claimed that one of the piglets had died.
Later in the day, Royapettah police booked cases under various Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections including 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 188 (disobedience to orders by public servant), 153 A (promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, race etc) and Prevention of Animal cruelty act 1960. Police said that the accused have been remanded to judicial custody.
