The Madras police’s cyber crime wing booked a man on 20th October for threatening actor Vijay Sethupathi’s family over his role in Tamil film 800, the biopic on Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan. The suspect, who also threatened to rape Vijay’s minor daughter, is yet to be traced. Vijay has already withdrawn from the film following Muralitharan’s request.
Rithik Raj tweeted his threat on his Twitter handle @itsrithikrajh and then deleted his Twitter account. Based on a complaint by the St. John Ambulance Association, the cyber crime wing registered a case against Rithik under IPC sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot, enmity) and 294(B) and section 67-B of the IT Act.
No sooner was Vijay’s name announced as the hero in the biopic, a controversy arose because of the Sri Lankan civil war of 2009 in which many Indian Tamilians were killed. The Indian Tamilians have not been able to forget Murali’s silence over the issue during that time.