After being harassed by police, writer Kamal C to withdraw his book

Kollam: Writer and theatre artist Kamal C Chavara on Thursday said in his Facebook page that he has decided to withdraw his book due to harassment from the police.

“I’m being harassed by the police. I’ve asked the publisher, Green Books, to withdraw my book Shmashanangalude Nottupusthakam,” Kamal said in his Facebook post.

Kamal C Chavara, alias Kamalsy Prana, was last month taken into custody in Kozhikode on charges of insulting the national anthem in a Facebook post after a case was registered against him by police at Karungapally in Kollam a few days ago after a complaint from Yuva Morcha activists. He, however, was later released.

A case under IPC section 124A (sedition) was registered against him.

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.

The incident had come close on the heels of the arrest of 12 persons earlier this month for not standing up when the national anthem was being played before the screening of a film at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).