Tiruchirappalli (TN), Dec. 13 (PTI): Five Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) activists, taken into custody in connection with desecration of rationalist leader 'Periyar' E V Ramaswamy's statue near Srirangam temple, would be booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), police said here yesterday.
An order to this effect was issued by City Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal, police said in a statement.
Raghavan (49), Manickam (41), Rajasekar (28), Sujit (28) and Senthil Kumar (33), all taken into custody on December 7, hours after the statue was found damaged, were charged with causing ill-feeling among communities and public disturbance.
Meanwhile, police were also planning action against five absconding Makkal Kalai Ilakiya Kazhagam members who allegedly set on fire the portrait of lord Rama in front of the temple.
Cases had been registered against the Dravidar Kazhagam volunteers who allegedly caused damage to buses and indulged in violence, police said adding video footages were being verified to pinpoint the culprits.
