Coimbatore : Bharat Sena activist, Arun Krishnan, lodged in the Central jail here on charges of desecrating a life size statue of social reformer, ‘Periyar’, was on Wednesday detained under the National Security Act.

The detention order issued by the City Police Commissioner, Sumit Saran late on Tuesday evening was served on Arun Krishnan, Sena’s South District Organiser, police said.

The 21-year old Arun Krishnan had smeared saffron paint on the statue in Sundarapuram in the city on July 17 and is said to have
confessed that he did it as a retaliation to the remarks made through a YouTube Channel by the group Karuppar Kootam on Kanda Sashti Kavacham, a hymn in praise of Lord Muruga.

Cases under three IPC sections including 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) were registered against him.