Actress and political speaker Kasthuri Shankar was arrested by a special team from the Greater Chennai Police, who traveled to Hyderabad to apprehend her. A police official confirmed that she would be brought before a local court in Hyderabad before being transferred to Chennai under a transit remand. According to a senior officer from Cyberabad, the Egmore police team arrived in Hyderabad on Saturday, 16 November, and took the actress into custody at her residence in Narsingi at around 8:30 PM.
The arrest followed allegations that Kasthuri made offensive remarks about certain Telugu-speaking communities in Tamil Nadu during a protest in Chennai on November 3. The protest focused on Brahmin rights and claims of Hindu discrimination and was accompanied by a video of Kasthuri’s statements circulated by a YouTube channel.
On November 5, the All India Telugu Federation filed a complaint with the City Police Commissioner, accusing her of defaming Telugu-speaking women. Following this, the Egmore police charged Kasthuri under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 192 (provocation intending to incite a riot), Section 196(1)(a) (promoting enmity based on religion, race, or language), and Section 353(1)(b) (statements likely to cause public alarm), among others.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court also denied her anticipatory bail request in another case filed by the Thirunagar police in Madurai, related to alleged disparaging comments about women from a particular community.
Dravidianists have freedom of speech, Hindus don’t
There have been instances of Dravidianists making inflammatory remarks about the Hindu community, especially Brahmins, with no action taken against figures like Dravidianist Thirumurugan Gandhi, who recently made controversial statements about martyred Major Mukund Varadarajan.
Although an FIR was filed against YouTuber Mukhtar Ahmed and Dr. Kantharaj for producing a derogatory video about cinema actresses, no arrests have been made. Additionally, Piyush Manush, who presents himself as an environmental activist, has made baseless allegations against Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi and previously made hate-filled comments about the Chidambaram Deekshitars.
A while ago, an anti-Hindu YouTube channel, U2 Brutus, posted a video titled “This is why Nataraja stands with his leg lifted,” in which an individual identifying as ‘Minor’ insulted Hindu deities, Shiva and Kali.
Instances where TN Police went above & beyond to arrest individuals
Kasthuri is the latest “successful” arrest made by TN Police in the name of “maintaining law and order” in the state. Tamil Nadu has witnessed caste-based violence peaking in the past few years ever since the DMK came to power. Here is a list of instances where the TN Police crossed borders to “issue summons” or “nab offenders”.
In September 2023, when present Dy CM of TN, Udhayanidhi Stalin made the “eradicate Sanatana Dharma” remarks, journalist Abhijit Majumder wrote a rebuttal article and had the TN Police at his doorstep up north in Noida!
A BJP supporter who goes by the name Johni Raja on his X handle was arrested in Chennai by Vellore police for social media posts allegedly targeting the DMK party. After being presented before a magistrate, he was granted bail.
Badri Seshadri, publisher of Kizhakku Pathippagam, was arrested by Tamil Nadu police on 29 July 2023, for comments made in a YouTube interview about the Manipur violence. He faced charges under Sections 153, 153A, and 505 for promoting enmity and causing public mischief. His remarks, particularly criticizing the Supreme Court’s involvement and the government’s handling of the conflict, sparked controversy. Misquotations by Dravidian Stockists and DMK sympathizers further fueled the arrest.
In February 2023, Tamil Nadu police arrested BJP cadre John Ravi in Gujarat for satirical social media posts mocking DMK leaders MK Stalin and Karunanidhi. The arrest followed a complaint by the DMK IT Wing, but concerns arose over the police bypassing due process and the Supreme Court’s arrest guidelines.
In March 2024, Tamil Nadu Police travelled all the way to Bihar to apprehend a social media user who goes by the name The Squind, for allegedly sharing a meme targeting Udhayanidhi Stalin, the DMK Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Development, who is also the son of Chief Minister MK Stalin. Reports suggest that instead of arresting the individual responsible, the police detained his brother.
In April 2023, Bihar-based YouTuber Manish Kashyap was arrested for allegedly circulating fake videos claiming migrant workers were assaulted in Tamil Nadu. He was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) after being brought from Bihar to Tamil Nadu following his arrest by the Bihar Police’s economic offences unit. Kashyap, who had surrendered on March 18, appeared before a Madurai court and was remanded to judicial custody for 15 days.
In July 2024, Tamil Nadu Police took action against YouTuber Ajeet Bharti after Karnataka Congress filed an F.I.R. over his comments about Rahul Gandhi. The police registered a case against him under Sections 153A and 505(1)(B) of the IPC, which deal with promoting enmity and public mischief. Additionally, Tamil Nadu police requested detailed information from social media platform X, including Bharti’s account details, IP address, and activity logs. Bharti had paraphrased claims made by former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam about Rahul Gandhi’s alleged statement on overturning the Ram Mandir verdict, which sparked legal proceedings.
In April 2024, the Tamil Nadu Police targeted a netizen who shared a video about Gomathi’s death, warning of legal action for spreading “false news.” Despite the netizen deleting the post, the police insisted on pursuing legal action. However, no similar actions were taken against the news outlets that initially reported the incident.
In March 2023, Thiruninravur Police under TN Police filed a case against OpIndia CEO Rahul Roushan and Editor-in-Chief Nupur Sharma for spreading “fake news” about attacks on Bihar migrants in Tamil Nadu. The case was based on a report by Dainik Bhaskar, later found to be exaggerated.
Hypocrisy, thy name is TN Police
The actions of the Tamil Nadu Police, operating directly under Chief Minister MK Stalin, represent a disturbing erosion of democratic principles. When police traverse state borders to arrest an actress for her speech while inflammatory remarks against Hindus and Brahmins go uninvestigated, it exposes more than just institutional bias – it reveals law enforcement weaponized for political ends. The victims of this system, from social media users to journalists and activists, share a common thread: they dared to speak truth to power or express views that challenged the ruling narrative. Meanwhile, those who spread hate and defame entire communities walk free, protected by their alignment with the powers that be.
This pattern extends far beyond individual cases like Kasthuri’s arrest. It sends an unmistakable message to every citizen: challenge the ruling narrative at your peril, no matter where in India you reside. The long arm of Tamil Nadu’s law enforcement has proven it will cross any boundary to silence dissent, while conveniently looking away from provocateurs who serve its interests. What we’re witnessing isn’t law enforcement – it’s political persecution, where justice isn’t just blind, but reads from a carefully curated script. The police have transformed from protectors of peace into enforcers of political orthodoxy, using their power not to maintain order but to crush democratic discourse.
