Student arrested for calling BJP leader ‘fascist’ gets bail, video goes viral

A 28-year-old research scholar has been granted bail after she was sent to Judicial custody for raising slogans against Tamil Nadu BJP state president Dr Tamilisai Sounderrarajan here inside a domestic flight at Tuticorin on Monday. Lois Sophia, a student, currently pursuing research in the University of Montreal, Canada has come in a flight from Chennai to her hometown Thoothukkudi. However, on seeing BJP leader Tamilisai in the same flight, Sophia raised slogans saying 'Down, down, fascist BJP, down, down'. Sophia repeated them same when she Tamilisai at baggage collection point after arrival which triggered the BJP leader leading to heated exchanges. A video of the incident is going viral now. The video shows Tamilisai yelling at Sophia while the police are trying to placate the leader. Later Tamilisai lodged a complaint against Sophia with Thoothukkudi airport police. She claims this as a planned incident instigated by some external groups. The police on Monday evening has arrested Sophia and produced her before a Mahila court - which sent her for 15 days of judicial custody.