MADURAI: Five persons were arrested after being charged with assaulting a group at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district, where the famous annual festival of Mutharamman temple is under way, sources said on Sunday.
The assault incident took place on the first day of the festival while people were taking a dip in the sea.
The Dasara festival got off to a start on October 3 at Mutharamman temple in Kulasekarapattinam amidst a sea of devotees.
Those held were Mahesh, Petchimuthu, Arumugakani, Surya and Sudalai belonging to Melapattam of Tirumalaikolunthupuram village near Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli. “They were seen wearing identical clothes bearing a caste name and holding flags and also assaulting some of them who took part in the festival,” sources said.
Watching the incident on social media, police initiated action against the group.
After the group was seen misbehaving with women, they were attacked. Irked, the group retaliated and the tiff escalated, said a source.
Tiruchendur Deputy Superintendent of Police M Vasantharaj, when contacted said, those five posted a reel on their Instagram page after having edited a video clip to make it appear they were beating somebody in the crowd.
After inquiring, the DSP said those five had earlier quarrelled with another group at the sea before the attack. Based on a complaint, Kulasekarapattinam police filed a case and arrested the accused five.
Further, the DSP said a total of sixty crime prevention teams from across the South Zone have been deployed to monitor the proceedings at the venue.