A sub-inspector attached to the Mylapore police station assaulted The Hindu’s photojournalist B. Jothi Ramalingam without any provocation on Sunday evening.
The incident took place outside Santhome Church around 6 p.m. when Mr. Ramalingam was on his way to cover an event. Sub-Inspector Ilayaraja, who was in plainclothes, asked him to wait as Vinayaka idols were being taken in a procession on the road for immersion in the Foreshore Estate area. He abused him when the photographer tried to explain that he was going to cover the event. After a while, when Mr. Ramalingam saw some other motorists being allowed to go, he asked the policeman to allow him too.
Without any provocation, Ilayaraja slapped Mr. Ramalingam twice – on the helmet he was wearing a the second time when he removed it. He even tried to snatch his camera.
