Tamil Nadu: VHP worker held for threatening Christian priest

Ariyalur’s district secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Muthuvel has been arrested on Wednesday by the police for blackmailing a priest with Rs 25 lakhs.

According to reports, Muthuvel demanded Rs 25 lakhs from the priest Dominic Savio of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Ariyalur, Thanjavur district, failing which he would release videos to tarnish the latter’s image.

Muthuvel has been deeply engaged in Lavanya’s suicide case. The 17-year-old student from Sacred Hearts Higher Secondary School, Ariyalur, consumed poison on January 9 and died ten days later.

Before passing away, Muthuvel visited Lavanya in the hospital and recorded two videos of her. She said she took the extreme step as she was being forced to convert to Christianity. Allegations of torture after her refusal to convert were also raised by the girl.

The case created a political furore in DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu with the VHP and BJP leaders condemning the incident and blaming the state government for not putting a pin on the “blatant religious conversion” in the state.

On a plea filed by the girl’s father, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on January 21 passed an order to transfer the case to the CBI. The case is currently under investigation. However, on February 3, the state government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the order.