Case against former legislator Vayyapuri Manikantan and 14 others for rioting

The accused persons have been booked under several Sections of the Indian Penal Code including 143, 147, 452, 427, 324 and 506.

The Muthialpet Police on December 24 registered a case against former legislator and deputy secretary of AIADMK Vayyapuri Manikantan and 14 others of rioting, causing physical assault, unlawful assembly and criminal intimidation while staging a protest against the opening of a pub on Ezhaimariamman Koil Street on Friday night (December 23.)

The police have accused the former legislator and his supporters of forming an unlawful assembly and then physically assaulting the staff of the pub and damaging property. The accused persons have been booked under several Sections of the Indian Penal Code including 143, 147, 452, 427, 324 and 506.

A section of residents at Muthialpet have been on loggerheads with the administration on the issue of giving permission to open the pub in a residential area. They had held several agitations in the recent weeks. The former legislator and CPI leaders have also participated in the recent agitations on the issue.

On Friday, at around 9 p.m, the residents along with Mr. Manikantan had gathered near the outlet anticipating the arrival of weekend crowd in the pub. The peaceful protest suddenly turned violent. Video footage showed the former legislator himself throwing stones and damaging properties owned by the pub. Later in the night, the owners of the pub gave a written complaint against Mr. Manikantan and others for trespassing into their property.