Seeman arrested at press club July 12: Film director and Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam chief Seeman was arrested Monday amidst high drama near the Chennai press club when he came for a media interaction. The police were on the lookout for Seeman who made inflammatory speeches during a protest on Friday against countries opposing the UN panel formed to probe Sri Lankan war crimes. On Friday morning, Seeman led a protest near the city collectorate on the Lankan Tamil issue and made inflammatory remarks following which the police registered three cases, including one under 153A of the IPC, for instigating violence. The police had geared up to arrest him but Seeman was nowhere to be found.

Supporters of the director claimed that he was not absconding and would meet the press Monday. Following this, police personnel were deployed at all the entrances of the press club. Initially, professor Dheeran and Velusamy, cadres of the outfit, briefed the media. But around 11.50 am, the police who got wind that Seeman was on his way to the press club, intercepted his vehicle near the state guesthouse and arrested him. He and 10 of his supporters were remanded in judicial custody. Meanwhile, the mediapersons who were at the press club to cover Seeman’s press meet were manhandled by the police when they tried to talk to him. Several mediapersons who approached Seeman for a sound byte were pushed by the police personnel. The incident sparked off an altercation and the journalists staged a road roko condemning the police action. Senior police officers later intervened and sorted out the issue by tendering an apology and promising action against the erring policemen.