Fact Check: Did Tamil Nadu Police order mapping of North Indian workers following rape incident?

New Delhi, Jun 3: A WhatsApp message doing rounds reportedly claimed that the Tamil Nadu police have ordered the mapping of North Indian workers residing in the state. It said that DGP Sylendra Babu has asked the authorities to collect details of the migrant workers.

The message claimed that the cops have been asked to collect the information of migrants like name, age, Aadhar Card details, mobile number and other details by June 15. The street vendors like panipuri sellers were also under the scanner.

However, the officers have denied passing such orders. As per Republic TV, Sylendra Babu clarified that employers should verify the background before hiring anyone and should be aware of their past. The instruction was given in the wake of the Rameswaram rape and murder case of a fisherwoman.

"There is no such thing. We've only requested employers to use the character verification facility or the Kaavalan App to find out the past history, such as the case history of anyone new they are planning to employ," India Today quoted the DGP as saying.

A 45-year-old fisherwoman was allegedly raped and murdered by six migrant workers from Odisha, at Vadakadu fishing village in Rameswaram. It was alleged that the victim was abducted before the gang rape.

They allegedly murdered her and burnt her face, in a bid, to ensure that she was not identified.

However, it has been reported that 18 panchayats in Ramanathapuram district had issued a circular following the rape and murder incident. It stated the migrant workers in construction, engineering, hotels, hostels, prawn industry along with panipuri and kulfi sellers should submit their details to panchyat office by June 15.

The panchayat chairman has no authority to issue such circulars, hence, it is not valid, a senior official from Ramanathapuram told India Today.