Seven days after Prakash, a Dalit singer was attacked, Pudukottai police arrested one of the assailants, Naveen, on Sunday, November 19. Sa Re Ga Ma fame singer Prakash and his cousin Kabilan were on their way home on November 12, when they were attacked by four people. The police department is looking for three other men, Sarathi, Prasath and Deva, who are accused in the attack.
Prakash and Kabilan belong to the Paraiyar community, categorised as a Scheduled Caste in Tamil Nadu, while Naveen and the others belong to the Kallar community, listed under Most Backward Class in the state. Malaiyur police said that Naveen was arrested in Tiruppur.
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Naveen is a resident of Thondaman Oorani village. The rest of the assailants are from Malaiyur village in Pudukottai district. According to police, the other three attackers are still on the run. All of them have been booked under sections 294(b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 324 (voluntarily hurt by the use of a dangerous weapon), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(2)(va) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Prakash is a farmer and a talented singer and hails from Ayikudi Annanagar near Karambakkudi. As a well-known singer, he often takes part in orchestra performances in and around Pudukottai. He was also a contestant in Season 2 of the popular reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, which was broadcast on the Zee Tamil television channel in 2019. He is currently under treatment for his injuries at the Pudukottai Government Medical College Hospital, with up to 15 stitches on his head.
On November 12, Prakash and his cousin Kabilan had gone to Varappur on a bike to purchase firecrackers for Deepavali. As they were returning home, they noticed they were being followed by the four accused. Subsequently, they allegedly waylaid Prakash and Kabilam near Thondaman Oorani and began to verbally abuse them using casteist slurs. As Prakash and Kabilan tried to ignore them and ride further, they attacked Prakash with bottles. The accused also allegedly pelted stones at Prakash and Kabilan.