The arrest of DMK supporting Dravidianist journo who is associated with the yellow journal Nakkheeran, Damodaran Prakash was arrested on 16 September 2026 for derogatory remarks on a woman YouTube host is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding his public statements and social-media activity.
The arrest brings renewed attention to a string of earlier episodes involving Prakash, ranging from allegations concerning BJP leaders and the Dharmasthala investigation to caste-related remarks about senior police officers, comments about Hindu religious practices, a social-media remark about BJP functionary Alisha Abdullah, his claims about Operation Sindoor, and his comments during the 2024 Chennai Air Show controversy.
September 2026: Arrest over alleged HIV-related video targeting woman
The latest controversy concerns Malathi, 38, who police said had worked as an anchor with the YouTube channel Savukku Media.
According to the complaint, Prakash and another person allegedly published a video on King 24 X 7 in January 2026 under the title:“HIV Savukku Malathiyum Kalyanam”
The complainant alleged that the video used her photograph and made defamatory and objectionable statements about her personal life, including a claim that she was HIV-positive.
Police said she complained that the video damaged her reputation and dignity. Following the complaint, S-8 Adambakkam Police Station registered a case under provisions of the BNS, IT Act and Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.
A police team subsequently arrested Prakash on 16 September 2026. The police identified him as Damodharan Prakash, son of Damodharan, aged 58, and a resident of Chintadripet, Chennai.
July 2025: Dharmasthala claims and K. Annamalai
On 22 July 2025, Prakash posted a lengthy claim concerning the controversy surrounding alleged secret burials at Dharmasthala in Karnataka.
His post claimed that Dakshina Kannada SP Arun, described by him as a Tamilian from Trichy, had submitted a report to the Karnataka Chief Minister alleging that 13 bodies had initially been buried at Dharmasthala, where 400 women were allegedly killed and buried.
He then connected former IPS officer and the then-BJP leader K. Annamalai to the matter, writing, “Arun’s current position was previously held by another Tamilian, K. Annamalai. He was inducted into the BJP because he hid the bodies! Truth will not die.”
The post also claimed that an SIT headed by ADGP Pranav Mohanda would begin digging at Dharmasthala.
The claim subsequently became the subject of criticism from outlets and groups disputing Prakash’s account. A compilation of Dharmasthala-related posts also records Prakash’s July 22 statement.
The important point for the record is that Prakash publicly made the allegation linking Annamalai to an alleged cover-up. Whether the underlying Dharmasthala allegations themselves were true was a separate matter under investigation at the time.
June 2025: Caste references involving DGP Shankar Jiwal
Another controversy arose from an interview in which Prakash discussed Tamil Nadu’s law-and-order situation through the prism of caste identities in June 2025.
He referred to then Tamil Nadu DGP Shankar Jiwal as a “Brahmin” and said, “Law and order is becoming a headache now. The DGP who has to address law and order, Shankar Jiwal, is a Brahmin.”
When questioned about the caste reference, he continued, “He sports a shikha (kudumi) just beneath his cap. The one who is with him is Davidson Devasirvatham is a Nadar. All the officers in the Intelligence department are Nadars. What happens is that, Thevars and Nadars together are creating an environment to bash up the Devendra Kula Vellalars in South districts of TN. DMK has not addressed this.”
பிரகாஷ் எனும் வன்ம மலையாளி மூத்த பத்திரிகையாளன் என்ற போர்வையில் தமிழ் சமூகங்களான நாடார், தேவர், தேவேந்திரர் இடையே பகைவளர்க்கும் எச்சிவேலை செய்கிறான்
அடையாளத்தை மறைத்து திராவிடர் என்ற போர்வையில் செயல்படும் இவனை போன்ற கூலிப்படைகளால்தான் தமிழ் நாட்டில் சதிக்கலவரங்கள் நடப்பதற்கான சூழல் உருவாகிறது.
அதுவும் அரசு துறையில் உள்ளவர்களை சாதிரீதியாக பேசுவதே சட்டப்படி குற்றம். இவன் மீது கட்டாயம் வழக்கு தொடரவேண்டும்.
— Saravanaprasad Balasubramanian (Modi ka Pariwar) (@BS_Prasad) June 2, 2025
June 2025: Operation Sindoor — Prakash Called it A “Huge Failure”
On 2 June 2025, Prakash posted extensively about India’s Operation Sindoor. He argued that Indian aircraft had suffered serious losses and described the operation as a failure.
His post stated, “Will someone declare to the enemy that they are coming to fight and then go to war? When Indian aircraft went to Pakistan, Pakistani aircraft were ready in the sky to counter it. Indian Army Chief Anil Chauhan says that India lost its fighter jets because Pakistan shot them down. Three of the French Rafale aircraft, which were bought for Rs 2800 crores, were shot down by Pakistan’s C10 aircraft bought from China, saying that no one can win the war. Five of India’s strongest aircraft, a MiG and a Russian Sukhoi, were destroyed. Their total value is Rs 15,000 crores. After that counterattack, Indian aircraft were afraid to fly. There is no information about the pilots of those aircraft. The victory of a war is the victory in the air war. India has never lost to Pakistan in the air war. Operation Sindoor is a huge failure! India has lost Rs 15,000 crores in an hour to kill 100 terrorists! Disgraceful”
The post seemed to be echoing Pakistani narratives.
April 2025: Remark about BJP functionary Alisha Abdullah and Seeman
In April 2025, Prakash made derogatory remarks against a former woman BJP functionary.
On 10 April 2025, the then-BJP Tamil Nadu State Secretary for Sports & Skill Development Alisha Abdullah posted a photograph with NTK chief Seeman, captioned: “With the Main team 😬
Strictly #nopolitics#Seeman”
On April 14, Prakash reposted the photograph and commented: “It would be great if there were no complaints like Vijayalakshmi’s!”
The reference was to actress Vijayalakshmi’s previous allegations concerning Seeman. Abdullah responded directly: “I’ll slap you with slipper, you dog💦”
February 2025: Derogatory Remarks about Hindu priests, Temple Theertham and Prayagraj
Another major controversy concerned comments attributed to Prakash during a media interview about Hindu temple practices and the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj back in February 2025.
According to the complaint subsequently filed by Hindu Munnani, Prakash claimed: “priests pee near the Lingam, which devotees drink as Theertham (holy water).”
அர்ச்சகர் மூத்திரம் கோவில் தீர்த்தம் – நக்கீரன் பிரகாஷ் கைது செய்யுமா காவல்துறை? | #nakkeeranprakash | #nakkeerangolal | #tnpolice | #hindumunnani | #hindu | #temple | #religion | #hinduphobia | #shreetv
@tnpoliceoffl @hindumunnani_tn @annamalai_k @BJP4TamilNadu @TN_BJP_IT_Wing @NarananNambi @omampuliyur @elangovan_HM @nakkheeranweb @karthikgnath @Sevakofmata @aghathiyar
— ShreeTV (@ShreeTV1) February 28, 2025
He also made a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Triveni Sangam, saying: “During bathing, if urine comes, where will Narendra Modi go? He’ll go in Triveni Sangam only right? Someone else will drink that water right? It goes inside another person’s mouth right? How is the bacteria present in faeces found there? Only if someone had defecated there, it will come right?”
Hindu Munnani Chennai City Secretary Siva Vijayan subsequently submitted a complaint to the Chennai Metropolitan Commissioner over the remarks.
January 2025: Complaint over Alleged Fake/Morphed H. Raja letter
In January 2025, Prakash was named in a complaint concerning circulation of an alleged fake and morphed letter purportedly written by senior BJP leader H. Raja.
The letter allegedly suggested that Raja was unhappy with the BJP’s Tamil Nadu leadership under K. Annamalai.
On January 16, Raja himself posted that a fake message was being circulated in his name and said legal action would be taken against those responsible.
Filed a complaint with Chennai commissioner’s office against @Vinothini_ADMK ( for want of original identity), @Gayatri_Raguram
@DhivCM & @sathrak1967 for spreading a forged letter in the name of Shri @HRajaBJP avl and with the intent to defame @annamalai_k avl .
Hope the police will name and shame and legally punish the conspirators behind this cowardly act !
@annamalai_k @HRajaBJP @EPSTamilNadu— karthik gopinath (@karthikgnath) January 17, 2025
October 2024: Chennai Air Show and Prakash’s Lie About Deaths
During the controversy following the October 6, 2024 Chennai Air Show at Marina Beach, Prakash posted about the condition of hospitals and the deaths reported after the event. He was basically buttressing the DMK stand.
His post stated, “No inpatient in Royapettah and Omandurar- all are discharged. Two inpatient in Rajivgandhi hospital due to some health issue both are stable. No one dead in the crowd. No dead is related to crowd or mismanagement. This is medical records others are politics”
As expected of a DMK supporter, Damodaran Prakash used his clout as a journalist to push disinformation.
Damodaran Prakash – The Dravidianist ‘Journo’
The most recent arrest of Damodaran Prakash is bigger than one journalist and one arrest. It reflects a strain of Dravidianist political journalism where personal attacks, caste-based insinuations, ridicule of Hindu beliefs, allegations against political opponents and politically convenient narratives are routinely deployed as weapons of discourse. The language may change from issue to issue, but the method remains familiar: attack the person, invoke caste, mock faith, push an allegation and move on. This is the hallmark of a Dravidianist journalist – abusing and pushing the Dravidianist agenda against Brahmins, against the country and against women.
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