Tamil Nadu police have arrested a BJP leader for assaulting an employee of a private finance firm. The police had registered a case against the BJP functionary under the grounds of causing hurt and criminal intimidation. While the functionary was apprehended, the employee has been getting treated at the government hospital. 

According to reports, the police had arrested S Maruthu alias Irudhayaraj (46), who is the BJP functionary of the party's unit in Ulundurpet in the Villupuram district. The police have said that Maruthu's wife is a member of a women self-help group and she had obtained a loan from a private finance firm. However, she had failed to pay the timely instalments despite the reminders.

On Tuesday, 27-year-old Balaguru, an employee of the private finance firm, had visited Maruthu's residence to recover the pending loan amount. The officials say that after knowing that Balaguru had come to recover the loans, Maruthu had brutally attacked him due to which Balaguru had sustained severe injuries. He was then rushed to the government general hospital in Ulundurpet for further treatments. 

Amid the treatment, Balaguru had filed a complaint against Maruthu with the Ulundurpet police and based on the complaint, the police had registered a case against the BJP functionary under sections 294B - uttering obscene acts and songs, 323 - punishment for voluntarily causing hurt, 324 - voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 341 - punishment for wrongful restraint, and 506 (2) - punishment for criminal intimidation of the Indian Penal Code. Maruthu was later arrested by the police and lodged in prison.