No public disturbance was caused when ‘Savukku’ Shankar was produced before courts in Chennai and Madurai, police tell Madras High Court

Chennai and Madurai police report peaceful dispersal of protesters during YouTuber 'Savukku' Shankar court appearances.

The Greater Chennai as well as Madurai city police have informed the Madras High Court that there was neither public disturbance nor any law and order issue when YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar alias A. Shankar was produced before different courts in May this year in connection with multiple cases registered against him.

In separate status reports filed before the first Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice R. Mahadevan and Mohammed Shaffiq, the Inspectors of Egmore police station in Chennai and Anna Nagar police station in Madurai city have told the court that the random protesters before the courts were dispersed peacefully.

The status reports have been filed in response to a public interest litigation petition filed by advocate M.L. Ravi seeking a direction to the State government to appoint a retired High Court judge to conduct an inquiry regarding those who had mobilised women protesters to fling broomsticks on the YouTuber.

The Egmore Inspector N. Thirumal told the court that he had received a memo from the Greater Chennai Police Commissionerate on May 23 asking him to take all precautionary measures when the YouTuber gets produced before the Egmore Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in connection with one of the criminal cases.

Accordingly, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (Nungambakkam Range), three Inspectors of Police, either Sub Inspectors of Police and 21 other police personnel were deployed on special duty to prevent any law and order issue inside Egmore court campus. The team ensured that the accused was transported safely, he said.

In his report, S. Sri Thamarai Vishnu, Inspector, Anna Nagar police station, Madurai city said, some women protesters gathered unexpectedly outside the Madurai district court campus when the YouTuber was taken over there and they raised slogans against him for having made derogatory statements against women police personnel in an YouTube interview.

“The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Anna Nagar Range, immediately mobilised police strength and advised them to disperse peacefully... No public disturbance happened,” the Inspector said. After the filing of the status report, the Division Bench adjourned the hearing on the PIL petition to July 15.