Malayalam actor and BJP member Kollam Thulasi surrendered before the Chavara police station in Kollam district of Kerala, in a case against him for making inflammatory remarks against women who wished to enter Sabarimala. The actor surrendered almost a month after the Kerala High Court rejected his anticipatory bail in the case.
“He surrendered at 10 am and he has been arrested now. We are taking his statement and later he will be presented before the magistrate,” Chandradas, Circle Inspector, Chavara told TNM.
The leader has been booked under Sections 295(a) (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 354(a) (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505(b) (Statements conducing to public mischief, with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) as well as 119(a) (Performing any sexual gestures or acts degrading the dignity of women in a public place) 117 (Penalty for interfering in the functions of the police) of the Kerala Police Act. The complaint was filed by DYFI's Chavar unit.
In October 2018, at an event organised by the Sabarimala Viswasa Samrekshana Jatha (rally to protect customs of Sabarimala) at Chavara, Kollam Thulasi said that women who try to enter Sabarimala should be ripped apart.
"Women should be ripped apart; one half should be sent to Delhi and another to the Kerala Chief Minister," he said. He even went to the extent of saying that the four judges who delivered the judgment on Sabarimala are idiots.
“The mothers (elderly woman) taking part in the protest against the judgment should go to Sabarimala. Then those women should rip apart the ones who try to enter the temple," he had said.
Thulasi who was a BJP candidate in the 2016 Assembly polls made these comments to an exuberant audience that cheered him on. Later, BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai who was at the rally distanced himself from the speech.
Thulasi also tendered an apology when a case was filed against him. “It is due to my deep devotion to Lord Ayyappa I said like that. But I later understood as a celebrity I shouldn't say like this. I wholeheartedly apologise for it,” he had said