Three men were taken into custody by the Munnar police on Tuesday, after a video of a man being brutally thrashed by a gang began doing the rounds on social media. It was found that the incident took place near the Mankulam village of the Idukki district in Kerala, and the man who was getting beaten up was identified as 68-year-old Makkar Thanoli, a native of Adimali Tenth Mile.
The incident, which took place on November 30, was filmed by an onlooker on his mobile phone, following which the video was uploaded on Facebook, and it went viral.
The video shows Makkar Thanoli, who is a fish vendor, being beaten up by around 6 to 8 men who keep shouting abuses at him while attacking him. Once the video started spreading, the Munnar police on Monday took the statement of Makkar, who is undergoing treatment at the Kothamangalam Taluk Hospital. Following the recording of the statement, the police booked a case against five persons who had allegedly attacked Makkar.
According to the police, the case was registered under sections 143, 144, 149 (unlawful assembly) and 294(B) (obscene act in any public place).
Initial reports said that Makkar was beaten up by the men when he demanded money from a woman who had bought fish from him.
The three persons taken to custody by the Munnar police for allegedly attacking Makkar have been identified as George, Arun (George's son) and Ebin. Two other persons who have been booked in the case are absconding.
The police said that the reason why the men attacked Makkar was because Makkar had allegedly tried to harass Arun’s wife. The police had also said that following the attack, both the parties had come to a compromise among themselves. But the police decided to book a case against the men after the video went viral on social media.
The police further added that if Arun’s wife, who was allegedly harassed by Makkar, files a complaint against the latter, the police will book him too.
Meanwhile, the Joint Merchants’ Association had called for a two-hour hartal and road blockade at Tenth Mile and Irumpupalam areas in Adimali on Tuesday as a protest against the attack on Makkar. On Monday evening, the Joint Action Council had taken out a protest march at Irumpupalam.
(With inputs from Sandeep Vellaram)