A DMK protest near the Thuraiyur bus stand in Tiruchirappalli on November 11 demanded action against Tamil Nadu Deputy Speaker and Thuraiyur MLA Ravi Shankar over allegations that he assaulted a resident who had approached him with a petition about basic civic amenities.
The demonstration was organised by the Tiruchirappalli North District unit of the DMK under the leadership of district secretary and former MLA Kaduvetti Thiagarajan. Former Thuraiyur MLA Stalin Kumar and other party functionaries also took part. Protesters raised slogans against Ravi Shankar and called for a case to be registered against him, appropriate action to be taken and his removal from the post of Deputy Speaker.
According to the report, Karthik Kumar, a Thuraiyur resident and member of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, had approached the MLA’s office several times over civic problems in his ward. He reportedly met Ravi Shankar at Manachanallur on November 8 to submit a petition concerning those issues.
Karthik Kumar alleged that the Deputy Speaker verbally abused and physically assaulted him without accepting the petition. He later sustained injuries and was admitted to Tiruchirappalli Government Hospital for treatment, according to the report. The allegations have not been established by an adjudicating authority.
A video purportedly showing the incident circulated on social media and triggered controversy. A separate video later emerged in which Karthik Kumar claimed that no such incident had taken place. The report said this led to further allegations that he had been threatened and forced to record the statement. The circumstances surrounding both videos were not independently established in the supplied report.
The DMK alleged that no case had been registered against Ravi Shankar and that no action had been taken against him. Addressing the protest, Thiagarajan demanded the immediate registration of a case against the Deputy Speaker. He warned that the party would mobilise the public for larger protests if the authorities failed to act.
The episode has brought attention to the route available to residents seeking basic civic services from elected representatives, as well as to the importance of an impartial response when allegations arise against a public office-holder. The supplied report does not include a response from Ravi Shankar, the police or other authorities on the allegations, the status of any complaint, or the authenticity of the videos. The next reported step is the DMK’s demand for registration of a case and action against the Deputy Speaker.
