A gang of unknown individuals, disguised as sanitation workers, unlawfully entered the residence of YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar on 24 March 2025. They ransacked his home, terrorized his mother, and smeared filth across the rooms and dining table.

According to police sources, the intruders were allegedly angered by remarks Shankar made in one of his YouTube videos, which they found offensive toward sanitation workers. Shankar later shared details of the incident on social media, posting screenshots of a video call made by one of the trespassers using his mother’s phone. In response, police were deployed to prevent any further disturbances.

Speaking to the media, ‘Savukku’ Shankar recounted the attack, stating that while he was on his way to the office at 9:30 AM, stones were thrown at his vehicle. Meanwhile, a group of individuals forcibly broke into his house while he was on a phone call with his mother to alert her. They allegedly attacked him upon entry. He immediately contacted the police control room and filed a complaint. According to Shankar, the intruders also took his mother’s phone and used it to make a video call to him.

Shankar claims it is a retaliation for exposing scam

Shankar reiterated his past allegations of corruption involving Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President Selvaperunthagai. He claimed that in December of the previous year, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister had allocated 230 sewage treatment vehicles to sanitation workers, supported by both Central and State government funds. However, only 87 vehicles reportedly reached genuine beneficiaries, while the rest were allegedly controlled by proxies linked to Selvaperunthagai.

According to Shankar, Selvaperunthagai had misused funds from Metro Water contracts, investing them in a private company while only paying sanitation workers ₹20,000 per month and keeping the remaining amount for himself. He asserted that he had presented evidence of this corruption in one of his videos.

He said, “There has been a huge scam in the purchase of vehicles for sanitation workers. The sanitation workers have been cheated. I spoke in support of them, highlighting that the money rightfully meant for them is been deceived by the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President Selvaperunthagai in order to exploit their earnings. Of course, I have never spoken against sanitation workers anywhere.”

He later said, “Congress Committee President Selvaperunthagai and Ravikumar Narayanan have conspired to cheat sanitation workers by registering around 230 vehicles under the names of people associated with Selvaperunthagai and siphoning off the money. I have that he personally signs contracts with a company for all these vehicles, deceiving the sanitation workers. That is what I was pointing out. I was only advocating for real sanitation workers to receive the benefits they deserve. I did not say anything against them or in a derogatory manner.”

Shankar alleged complicity of Tamil Nadu police in the attack

Tamil Nadu authorities tasked the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) to probe an alleged attack on controversial YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar’s house on Monday, following his allegations of police inaction and complicity in the incident. The move comes after Greater Chennai Police Commissioner A Arun requested that the case be handed over to another investigative agency.

His mother, Kamala, who was alone at home, filed a complaint stating that the intruders broke in through the door and ransacked the house. The assailants allegedly dumped sewage mixed with human excreta inside the premises before issuing a chilling threat: “Now we have stopped with this. Next time, we will set fire to you inside the house.”

In her complaint, Kamala suggested that the assault could be linked to Shankar’s recent exposé on “corruption” in the procurement of sewage trucks. Shankar, known for his controversial takes on political and administrative matters, has accused top city police officers of orchestrating the attack.

Shankar described the attack as a direct intimidation tactic meant to force him to cease his work. He stated that threats to shut down Savukku Media had been ongoing for a long time, but this incident felt like a final warning. “They barged into my house, threw waste on the dining table and bedrooms—this is a message telling me to stop my media operations,” he said.

He condemned the incident as an example of the extreme measures the government was willing to take to suppress dissent. He equated this instance to a death threat, stating, “For so long, I have been threatened with false legal cases. Today, my mother’s life, my life, and the lives of those with me are in danger. I see this as a direct death threat to me. If you dump feces in the living house, how can you live in here? What could be a more extreme attack than this? Think about it. They have thrown feces and left it on the dining table. How will you live in here? They have broken the back door of the house. Now, where will I stay tonight? I see this as a threat that suggests you should not live at all.”

Checkered background of Savukku Shankar

Previously in 2024, Shankar was arrested on May 4 for allegedly making defamatory remarks against women police officials. The arrest was based on a complaint by a Coimbatore City Police sub-inspector. Following his arrest, the Chennai Police registered two additional cases against him, including one for an old harassment complaint by journalist Sandhya Ravishankar. Later the Madras High Court quashed the detention order against YouTuber Savukku Shankar by invoking the Goondas Act of 1982.

In 2022, he had threatened Delhi Police after he was called out for spreading fake news. In a tweet, he had said, “Dear Delhi Police,  TN is neither UP, Haryana or Kashmir. Do not get into any misadventure here. Consult your counterparts here before contemplating any misadventure.”

Savukku was quoting OpIndia’s editor-in-chief Nupur J Sharma who had called him out for spreading fake news about the interview Sharma had with the former spokesperson of BJP Nupur Sharma before she got suspended from the party. In her tweet, Nupur J Sharma shared a screenshot of a tweet posted by Savukku where he had drawn apprehensions over a clip from the interview saying the suspension was just a façade. He also claimed BJP’s Nupur Sharma said HM Amit Shah “congratulated her (for her remarks on Prophet).

These instances show his left-liberal anti-Hindutva stances. Now when Congress and INDI alliance party takes action against him he is feeling the wrath of the same liberal forces which we was sympathetic with. Either ways, it is important to note the checkered history of the controversial YouTuber before taking a stance with or against this individual.