Chennai: In a surprising turn of events, the General Secretary of Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) and an aide of actor-politician Vijay were detained by the police on Monday for distributing a hand-written letter from Vijay addressing women's safety at the controversy-hit Anna University.

B Anand, the General Secretary of Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) and an aide of actor-politician Vijay, was detained by police for allegedly distributing the pamphlets without prior permission. The development came in the wake of a student facing sexual assault at the Anna University campus. According to reports, he was later released from custody. 

The actor's letter, which was shared on the Instagram account of his political outfit, addressed "dear sisters" and expressed deep concern about the state of women’s safety in Tamil Nadu. Vijay questioned, "Who should be asked to make women feel safe in the state?" and stated that seeking answers from the government had proven "pointless."  

In the heartfelt message, Vijay acknowledged the widespread incidents of sexual crimes and harassment faced by women. "Every day, women are subjected to mass atrocities, disorderly conduct, and sexual crimes," he wrote, adding that as their "brother," he shared their pain and distress.  

He assured women that he would stand by them and called for collective efforts to create a safer Tamil Nadu. "Don’t worry about anything but concentrate on your studies. We will create a safe Tamil Nadu. We will together ensure it soon," Vijay added.

In a separate development, Vijay visited Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi at Raj Bhavan on Monday to discuss women’s safety and law and order in the state. He submitted a memorandum requesting immediate action to protect women and maintain public safety.  

The memorandum also included demands to improve the state’s law and order, according to a TVK release. B. Anand, speaking on behalf of TVK, alleged attempts to "divert" the sexual assault case and urged political functionaries across parties to come together as brothers to ensure justice.  

BJP Tamil Nadu state chief K. Annamalai praised Vijay's proactive approach, stating, "The BJP welcomes Vijay meeting the Governor over the lack of safety to women under the DMK rule."  

(Agency inputs)