A 77-year-old ENT doctor was taken into custody by Hastampatti police in Salem for defacing a 16-foot bronze statue of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister & DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi with black paint at Anna Park on 16 July 2025. Authorities reported that the act was driven by emotional distress linked to personal and family problems.
The individual arrested has been identified as Dr. H. N. Viswanathan, a resident of the Four Roads locality. He operates the Arunagiri ENT Nursing Home in the same area.
Police were able to trace the suspect after reviewing CCTV footage from the vicinity. “During questioning, he confessed to pouring black paint on the statue,” said Assistant Commissioner K. M. Aswini, who further explained that the doctor had been under intense psychological strain for several weeks due to ongoing family issues.
Dr. Viswanathan has been charged under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) including sections related to inciting enmity and intentional provocation — as well as sections of the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Destruction and Loss) Act, 1982. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.
(With inputs from TOI)
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