Fearing for His Family's Safety, Tamil Writer Murugesan Leaves Hometown

Karur, Tamil Nadu:

Despite opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, the DMK and the Left, coming out strongly in his support, Tamil writer Puliyur Murugesan is so traumatised by his kidnapping and alleged assault by those protesting against his latest book that he has left his hometown Karur.

"We live in fear. We can't live in Karur. It's not safe for my family there," the first time author told NDTV.

He insists that his short story is a work of fiction about the sexual exploitation of transgenders and doesn't defame the community of Kongu Vellalars, as they claim.

He has shifted to Thanjavur, his wife's hometown, as he fears for his personal safety. Mr Murugesan fears that the police are not being impartial in his case.

Following the attacks on him, allegedly by cadres of the Kongu Vellalar community for his short story collection, the police registered a case of "Promoting Enmity" against the author. Police sources say their priority is to avert any violence.

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The author accused the police of failing him. "Those protesters create law and order problem. They damages buses and public property. But they are curbing my freedom. They have not arrested those who attacked me", he says.  The state government, he adds " doesn't want to hurt the dominant community and the police act accordingly."

Only recently, Tamil novelist Perumal Murugan gave up writing and withdrew all his books saying "the writer in me is dead" after police allegedly coerced him to withdraw his novel "Madhorubagan." It was the same Kongu Community that protested, claiming his novel defamed their women and their temple. Perumal and his wife also fled their hometown.

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Unlike his fellow author, Murugesan says, "I wouldn't give up writing".

A court in Karur had granted him anticipatory bail under which he has to stay in Tuticorin.