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Ahead of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s visit to Madurai district to participate in a government-run university convocation, four student leaders belonging to Students Federation of India (SFI) were detained under house arrest and preventive custody by the Madurai district police on Friday, December 12.
The detainees including Dilan Justin, SFI’s district president and David Rajadurai, district secretary, students Kanna and Nethaji were held under preventive custody. While Dilan was detained under house arrest and those three others were held in custody at the University campus where the event was held.
The move comes after the Tamil Nadu Governor's arrival was scheduled for the 57th Convocation function of Madurai Kamaraj University on December 12. The police alleged that the detainees were prepared to raise black flags against the Governor.
Speaking to TNM, Dilan, who has been in house arrest till now, said he was informed by five police personnel who arrived at his house and informed that he had been held under house arrest with the orders of Madurai City Commissioner.
“I tried to ask them why I'm being held. The police personnel told me that they don’t want us to stage a protest against the Governor. I told them we have no such plans, but the police did not agree. When I tried to take videos, they snatched away my phone”, he said.
Another student, David Rajadurai told TNM that the police entered the college and kept them inside the campus. “Two police personnel were in mufti(plain clothes), one Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), 2 inspectors, 15 constables were asked to be in the campus itself,” he alleged.
Seven students who raised slogans to condemn the police action were also arrested.
The Samayanallur DSP alleged a group belonging to the student body admitted to protesting. “A group of the SFI admitted to us that they are planning a protest against the Governor. That is why we have held them under preventive custody,” he told TNM.