News Tamil Nadu

TN Police, Self-Styled ‘Fact-Checker’ Trivialize Attack On TN Guv RN Ravi’s Residence

October 26, 2023
The Commune

Only a day ago, on 25 October 2023, Molotov cocktails were thrown at the official residence of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Sardar Patel Road in Chennai.

The individual behind this act of terror has been identified as ‘Karukka’ Vinod. Reports reveal that Vinod has a history of criminal activities and violence. To execute his plan, Vinod siphoned gasoline from motorcycles parked at the Saidapet Court premises. He later transferred this stolen fuel into two containers and ignited them. At approximately 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, he attempted to throw these incendiary devices near the main entrance of Raj Bhavan, which is frequently used by Governor RN Ravi.

In the press release put out by the official X handle of Raj Bhavan, they have mentioned that “After the first petrol bomb was hurled at the main entrance Gate-1 of Raj Bhavan, it burst with huge sound and burnt the entrance. The security personnel rushed to capture the miscreants. Even when the security personnel of Raj Bhavan attempted to subdue the attacker, another petrol bomb was hurled which resulted in severe damage to the main entrance to Raj Bhavan. Somehow, one of the assailants was overpowered by the security.”

They also mentioned that “There have been incidents of public threats to the life of the Hon’ble Governor. However, unfortunately in all these cases of abuse, attack and assault on the Hon’ble Governor, the police did not register FIR faithfully and instead trivialised the serious incidents to minor offences with no worthwhile follow-up.”

While thankfully the Governor was not harmed in yesterday’s incident, the Tamil Nadu police and an alleged “fact-checker” seem to be justifying the attack on a Constitutional authority and trivializing it.

The Tamil Nadu police which comes under the purview of Chief Minister MK Stalin said that the bomb just fell on the road and not at the gates or inside the residence. 

The Additional Commissioner of Police Prem Anand Sinha was quoted saying in a report that one can’t call it as “petrol bomb hurled at Governor’s residence” as it fell on the Sardar Patel Road in front of the barricades placed outside the Raj Bhavan. He also said that the perpetrator ‘Karukka’ Vinod was in an inebriated condition.

On the other hand, self-styled ‘fact-checker’ Iyan Karthikeyan who is known for peddling DMK’s propaganda seemingly justified the attack using Additional Commissioner Prem Anand Sinha’s statement saying that “no damage has been caused by the petrol bomb”.

He said “How is Governor R.N.Ravi and his Raj Bhavan making exaggerated claims of ‘severe damage to main entrance’?”

Visuals from yesterday’s episode show forensics team collecting the shattered pieces of the bomb lying outside the Raj Bhavan’s gate.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has now taken over the case and has started investigating the background of Karukka Vinod.

Critics argue whether they would respond in the same manner if the said attack took place in Chittaranjan Salai, the street where DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s residence is located.

The fact that the attacker had a prior criminal record and had previously carried out a similar attack on Tamil Nadu BJP office has been downplayed by the self-styled ‘fact-checker’. In February 2022, ‘Karukka’ Vinod had thrown petrol bombs at the BJP Tamil Nadu headquarters situated in T. Nagar, Chennai. During this incident, Tamil mainstream media, citing police sources, had reported that Vinod carried out the act as a protest against the BJP’s stance on NEET.

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