Tension escalates after Aathi Thamizhar Katchi members protest with beef near BJP office in Coimbatore

Coimbatore — Tensions flared in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, on Monday after members of the Aathi Thamizhar Katchi, a Dalit political party, threw beef near the BJP office. The protest was in response to a BJP official’s objection to a beef stall operating near a temple in the city.

The incident occurred on VKK Menon Road, about 50 meters from the BJP office. Five Aathi Thamizhar Katchi protesters gathered in front of the MDMK office on the same road, holding party flags and shouting slogans. They then threw beef onto the road and photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Police intervened and arrested the protesters, who were later detained at a marriage hall.

The protest stems from a controversy in Udayampalayam, a village on the outskirts of Coimbatore, where a beef biryani stall operated by Ravi and his wife, Abitha, drew objections from villagers and local BJP leader Subramani. Villagers argued that the stall’s proximity to the Veeramathi Amman Temple and a school violated local norms. Subramani confronted the couple, demanding the stall’s removal. While Ravi consented to relocate, Abitha objected. The incident was recorded and shared on social media by Subramani, who claimed the community opposed the stall.

Abitha filed a police complaint against Subramani on Dec. 25, 2024, and Jan. 5, 2025, accusing him of threatening them. She also alleged selective targeting of beef sales, noting that other non-vegetarian food items were sold in the area without objection. Police registered a case against Subramani under various sections of the Indian Penal Code after Abitha complained.

The situation escalated further when more than 1,000 villagers protested near the temple, demanding the removal of the beef stall and opposing police action against Subramani. The village committee, pressured by the village headman, evicted seven roadside eateries, including Ravi and Abitha’s.

Leaders from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India criticized the decision, arguing that it violated food rights and posed a threat to the couple’s safety. CPM councilor V. Ramamoorthy acknowledged that while selling beef was not legally restricted, the stall’s location near the temple raised concerns. He admitted that the couple consulted him, but the stall was ultimately set up in a sensitive location. The protest reached the BJP office when Aathi Thamizhar Katchi members demanded action against Subramani under the National Security Act (NSA) and called for a ban on the BJP. Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai has called for a thorough investigation into the incident.