Writer burns copies of his novel over police 'harassment'

The writer, along with a group of supporters, burnt the novel at a junction in the city and shouted slogans against police for their 'harassment.'

Kozhikode, Jan 14: Alleging police highhandedness and threats from unidentified persons, Malayalam writer Kamal C Chavara who had been charged with sedition for allegedly showing disrespect to the national anthem, burnt copies of his novel "Smashanangalude Notupusthakam" here today.

The writer, along with a group of supporters, burnt the novel at a junction in the city and shouted slogans against police for their 'harassment.'

Kamal C Chavara, alias Kamalsy Prana, was detained on December 18 2016 on charges of insulting the national anthem in a Facebook Post after a case was registered against him by police at Karungapally in Kollam on a complaint from Yuva Morcha activists.

A case under IPC section 124A (sedition) was registered against him, police had said. Kamal had posted some excerpts from his novel "Smasanangulude Nottupusthakam" in the post, which the Yuva Morcha alleged was an insult to the national anthem.

Even as police had announced dropping of sedition charges against him, Chavara claimed that they continued to harass him and his family. The writer had recently announced that he was withdrawing the novel and would burn copies of it.

PTI