The Thampanoor police in Thiruvananthapuram has registered a case against dubbing artist Bhagyalakshmi and trans activist Diya Sana for confronting a man who posted an abusive, derogatory video about feminists in Kerala.
On Saturday, Bhagyalakshmi and Diya Sana had confronted a man named Vijay P Nair, pouring black oil on him and slapping him for posting the derogatory video.
The video titled 'Why do feminists in India, especially Kerala, not wear underwear' had targeted many women including 86-year-old poet Sugathakumari, artists Bhagyalakshmi and other activists like Trupti Desai, Bindu Ammini and Rehana Fathima, with vulgar and crass language.
“We have registered an FIR against Bhagyalakshmi and two others who were with her. The FIR is lodged under IPC sections 452 (House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 294 B (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 392 (punishment for robbery), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention),” an official from the Thampanoor police station told TNM.
The FIR has been lodged based on a complaint filed by Vijay Nair. Meanwhile, an FIR has also been lodged against Vijay Nair, based on a complaint by Bhagyalakshmi. The FIR has been registered under section 354 A (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty).
Bhagyalakshmi and Diya on Saturday entered his office at the Gandhari Amman Kovil, and live streamed both of them confronting the man, through Facebook. The duo made him apologise on camera for his video.
Though while being questioned by Bhagyalakshmi and Diya he apologised saying that he is sorry for ‘knowingly and unknowingly hurting women’, later talking to the media he claimed that he was not sorry for his mistake.
Meanwhile, Bhagyalakshmi has said that she will readily go to jail with pride, if arrested in the case. Talking to Mathrubhumi, she said that she is ready to be a martyr for all women of Kerala.
“No one has reacted to this video of Vijay P Nair, now when we did, if that is a crime, we are willing to fight it legally,” she said.
(This story was originally published on The News Minute and has been republished in an arrangement with The Quint)
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