CHENNAI: Indu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath was arrested by the police in Coimbatore while attempting to lead a protest against the arrest of his son and the party's youth wing leader, Omkar Balaji.

The Coimbatore city police arrested Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK) youth wing president Omkar Balaji for his threatening statement against the editor of a Tamil magazine.

The Race Course police booked Arjun Sampath’s son Balaji for his statement that he would chop off the tongue of RR Gopal, editor of Tamil magazine ‘Nakkheeran’. He said this during a protest on October 27 to condemn an article published by the magazine on Isha Yoga Centre.

Also Read: Arjun Sampath's son held for threat to 'cut tongue' of Nakkheeran's editor

In response to Omkar Balaji's detention, IMK called for statewide protests on November 17. During a protest near the Koniamman temple in Coimbatore, Arjun Sampath was arrested by the police, said a Daily Thanthi report.

In a separate incident, 20 other IMK activists, including a woman, were arrested for attempting to protest near the Sengalivai Sangam.

(OD with Bureau inputs)