News Tamil Nadu

“Yaar Andha Sir (Who Is That Sir?)”: Netizens And Opposition Parties Question DMK Over Anna University Sexual Assault Case

December 30, 2024
The Commune

Since the breakthrough in the Anna University on-campus sexual harassment case, it was initially reported that the alleged offender, DMK functionary Gnanasekaran, had been speaking on the phone with another individual, addressing him as ‘Sir.’ It was also claimed that the victim corroborated this by stating the same. However, both DMK ministers and the police have denied these allegations.

In response, the opposition has strongly criticized the DMK government, accusing it of attempting to protect a high-profile individual. As part of their protest, opposition groups have joined the public in demanding answers, using the hashtag #Who_is_that_sir? and posting posters across Tamil Nadu to express their opposition.

Background

On 23 December 2024, a woman, who was in a two-year relationship with a fellow student, was attacked while spending time with her boyfriend at a secluded spot on campus.

Two unknown individuals approached the couple, assaulted the boyfriend, and sexually harassed the woman. The assailants forced her to strip, filmed her without consent, threatened her, and fled the scene. The traumatized victim later reported the incident to the Kotturpuram police.

In connection with the case, police have arrested 37-year-old Gnanasekaran, a roadside biryani vendor from Kotturpuram with multiple pending cases against him. The police have filed charges under Section 64 of the BNSS and are actively investigating the matter.

The victim also lodged a complaint with the university’s POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) committee. Meanwhile, the Chennai police, in collaboration with the university, are working to enhance campus security.

However, it came to light that the accused Gnanasekaran is a repeat offender and a DMK functionary. Pictures circulating on social media show him alongside several prominent DMK leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and Minister Ma. Subramanian.

FIR Reveals Shocking Details

The shocking details came to light after the All Women Police Station (AWPS) in Raja Annamalai Puram filed the FIR, which reveals a sequence of terrifying events that unfolded on 23 December 2024, within the Anna University campus.

The FIR states that Gnanasekaran filmed the survivor and her boyfriend on the campus before taking things to a terrifying level. He allegedly threatened to leak the footage to the university dean and the couple’s parents unless the student complied with his demands.
He then forcibly took the survivor to a secluded area behind the Highway Lab Building and the Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) department building, where he presented her with three horrifying options: one, to be expelled from the university by the dean based on the footage he threatened to release; two, to “spend time” with him; and three, to “spend time” with another man who had reportedly called the accused before the assault.

The Assault

According to the FIR, after making these threats, Gnanasekaran sexually assaulted the survivor between 7:45 PM and 8:20 PM on 23 December 2024. He also took a picture of her college ID card and extracted her father’s contact information from her phone before fleeing the scene. The survivor, in her written complaint, described how Gnanasekaran had received a phone call from an unknown person, during which he mentioned threatening the girl and leaving her.

The police investigation revealed that Gnanasekaran is no stranger to criminal activity, with seven other pending cases against him, including charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for lurking house-trespass and theft. He has now been charged under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections for rape and sexual harassment.

Some of the netizens’ criticism aimed at the ruling DMK government is provided below.

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