Vijay P Nair, a man who runs a YouTube channel and posted an abusive video about feminists in Kerala was detained by the Thiruvananthapuram Museum police on Monday. He was taken into custody from his house in Kalliyoor of Thiruvananthapuram. He was staying in a lodge near the Museum and was missing from there since Monday evening. His arrest will be recorded soon.
On Sunday, two FIRs were lodged against Vijay Nair at the Museum police station and the Thampanoor station respectively.
He was booked under sections 509 of the Indian Penal Code (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), section 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120(O) of the Kerala Police Act (Causing nuisance).
The Museum police had booked him for uploading an abusive video and he was taken into custody for the same. The FIR in Thampanoor station is against him for outraging the modesty of a woman and other sections.
On Saturday, three women- dubbing artist Bhagyalakshmi, activist Diya Sana and Sreelakshmi Arackal attacked Vijay Nair for a highly abusive video that he posted on YouTube casting aspersions on them and other women. The video became controversial with many applauding the women and others criticising them.
The government however came under severe criticism following a case being registered against the women for attacking Vijay Nair. Following this, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister KK Shailaja had come out in support of the women and promised that the government will support them. Police’s move to take Vijay Nair into custody comes after this political intervention.
Vijay Nair who had folded his hands and apologised to all women as Diya and Bhagyalakshmi confronted him, changed his stand later and made it clear that he was not remorseful of his actions. Meanwhile, YouTube has not removed the video, despite many reporting it. On Monday, the Chief Minister said that the state has written to YouTube asking them to remove the video.