Karur stampede: Why Tamil Nadu Police arrested YouTuber Felix Gerald

The Tamil Nadu Police’s Cyber Crime Wing on Tuesday arrested YouTuber Felix Gerald for allegedly spreading rumours on the deadly stampede during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay’s rally in Karur.

Police had earlier arrested three people for spreading disinformation and rumours about the tragic incident.

Gerald runs a YouTube channel by the name 'RedPix' featuring content in Tamil on current topics. According to reports, officials claimed that his recent video on the stampede could incite unrest and spread misinformation.

This is not the first time Gerald has landed in legal trouble. Police had earlier arrested him under the stringent Goondas Act after he allegedly made derogatory remarks against women police officers.

Meanwhile, police have filed cases against over 20 people for spreading rumours on the stampede that left 41 people dead and over 50 others injured on Saturday night. The authorities have urged the public to refrain from spreading misinformation and to cooperate with the investigation.

Two TVK functionaries—West District Secretary Mathiyazhagan and Karur town functionary Paun Raj—have been arrested so far in connection with the incident. 

Paun Raj, who arranged flex banners and flag poles for the rally, was arrested for allegedly providing shelter to Mathiyazhagan, one of the three TVK office bearers named in the FIR. TVK state general secretary Bussy Anand and party deputy general secretary Nirmal Kumar are the other two party leaders named in the FIR.

They have been booked under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125 (endangering life of others), and 223 (disobedience to order), of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.