Police have arrested four persons for attempting to attack a statue of B.R. Ambedkar in Ambalavananpettai, Cuddalore district on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
According to Kullanchavadi police, the four individuals hurled a petrol-filled bottle towards the statue but it exploded on a dilapidated Panchayat building nearby. No injuries were reported.
The arrested individuals were identified as P. Sathish Kumar, 29, G. Krishnakumar, 21, M. Vijayaraj, 22 and V. Vetrivel, 23, all hailing from Ambalavananpettai.
Police said that the men arrived on two motorcycles at 12.05 am and threw the Molotov cocktail. However, the bottle struck the Panchayat building instead of the statue.
Following the explosion, local residents emerged from their homes, and the suspects allegedly hurled casteist abuses at them before fleeing the scene.
Police arrested the four based on a complaint lodged by VCK Town Secretary A. Ambeth. A case was registered against them under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (ii) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code read with Sections 3, 4 (a) of Explosive Substances Act, 1908 read with sections 3 (1) (r), 3 (1) (s), 3 (ii) (v) (a) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the incident was driven by a dispute between caste Hindus and Adi Dravidars. Police have deployed additional forces in Ambalavananpettai to prevent further escalation of tensions and are closely monitoring the situation.
