Chennai: Dozens of men and women wearing the uniform of sanitation workers allegedly forced their way into the residence of YouTuber Savukku Shankar Monday morning, and vandalised the premises. A vocal critic of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Shankar alleged this was done at the behest of the president of Congress’s Tamil Nadu unit and commissioner of the Greater Corporation Commissioner—for asking questions about distribution of modern sewage removal vehicles, commonly called sewage suction trucks.
In a post on X, Shankar said a group of about 50 claiming to be sanitation workers forcibly entered his residence near Kilpauk here where he lives with his mother.
“The gang arrived five minutes after I left, broke down the backdoor, entered the house and poured sewage and feces on everything in the bedroom, kitchen and cooking vessels. When I called my mother to check what had happened, they snatched the phone from my mother and threatened to kill me on video call,” Shankar wrote.
He said he immediately informed the police control room, and a team was rushed to his house to bring the situation under control. But the sanitation workers then staged a sit-in protest in front of Shankar’s residence.
தாக்குதல் நடத்தியவர்கள் என் தாயாரின் போனை பிடுங்கி வீடியோ காலில் பேசியபோது பதிவு செய்தது.
இப்போது மணி 11.43. இந்தத் தருணம் வரை தாக்குதல் நடத்த வந்தவர்கள் அதே இடத்தில் இருக்கின்றனர். காவல்துறையினர் என்னை வீட்டுக்கு வரவேண்டாம் என்று அறிவுறுத்துகின்றனர். @CMOTamilnadu pic.twitter.com/yv5J1PiPm1
— Savukku Shankar (@SavukkuOfficial) March 24, 2025
The YouTuber also alleged that the sanitation workers did not vacate the spot for about two hours, adding that the police advised him not to return to his residence for his own safety.
Addressing the media here later in the day, Shankar pointed the finger at Tamil Nadu Congress president K. Selvaperunthagai and Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran. “I had revealed that the modern sewage removal vehicles were not given to the actual beneficiaries and most of them were received by the benamis of Tamil Nadu Congress committee president K. Selvaperunthagai. I have been talking about it since December 2024. I believe the attack was instigated by Selvaperunthagai,” he said.
என் வீட்டில் கழிவுகளை கொட்டும் சிசிடிவி காட்சி. pic.twitter.com/ZZQ6GpLBIR
— Savukku Shankar (@SavukkuOfficial) March 24, 2025
However, sources in the Chennai Corporation said distribution of the sewage suction trucks was overseen by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), or Chennai Metro Water as it is known. “Don’t know why he is dragging Chennai Corporation into this,” a Chennai Corporation senior official told ThePrint on condition of anonymity.
In December last year, CM M.K. Stalin had distributed sewage suction trucks to sanitation workers under the “Transforming Sanitation Workers into Entrepreneurs” initiative.
Shankar has alleged that “of the 280 (beneficiaries who got the sewage suction trucks), only about 87 were real beneficiaries and the rest of them were the benamis of (state) Congress president Selvaperunthagai”. He further alleged that the ‘benamis’ have set up a group company which has a contractual agreement with the CMWSSB.
“All the money that comes out of this contract goes to the company and the sanitation workers, who pose as beneficiaries, are only given a monthly salary from the group company. The rest of the money goes to Selvaperunthagai,” Shankar alleged Monday.
CMWSSB officials ThePrint spoke to labelled the allegations baseless, adding that only 101 beneficiaries were given the sewage suction trucks.
“As many as 213 beneficiaries were shortlisted in three categories: current sanitary workers, legal heirs of deceased sanitary workers and eligible SC/ST people. Among them, CM handed over vehicles to 100 people in December 2024 and 11 of them were dropped from the list since they joined some other job. We are in the process of proving the pending 101 vehicles to the beneficiaries and they will be deployed in a month’s time,” a senior CMWSSB official told ThePrint on condition of anonymity.
Asked about the allegations levelled against him by the Youtuber, Selvaperunthagai dismissed them, adding, “He (Shankar) met me sometime in 2020 seeking some recommendation for his friend. After that, we never met. But for the past few months he has been saying bad things about me and my family. I don’t know what grudge he holds against me. Anyway, I have not done anything illegal and if he is getting money by talking about me, let him say whatever he wants,” he told ThePrint.
Also Read: Why ED is going after TN minister Senthil Balaji & state-owned TASMAC
AIADMK, BJP come to Savukku’s defence
The issue also took on a political colour with the Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu Edappadi K. Palaniswami condemning the developments.
“Anybody who believes in democratic process will not tolerate this. The incident, that happened under DMK rule which claims to maintain the rule of law, has forced all to bow their heads in shame,” the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary wrote on X. Palaniswami, who is also a former chief minister, urged Chennai police to act against those involved in what happened at Shankar’s residence. “If not, once AIADMK comes to power, those who are involved in the crime under the guise of sanitation workers and those behind it will be severely punished as per the law,” he added.
ஊடகவியலாளர் திரு. @SavukkuOfficial வீட்டில் இன்று (24.3.2025) காலை, அவரது தாயார் தனியாக இருந்தபோது, 50 பேர் கொண்ட கும்பல் வீட்டின் கதவை உடைத்து உள்ளே நுழைந்து சில பொருட்களை எடுத்துச் சென்றதுடன், படுக்கையறை, சமையல் அறை, சமையல் பொருட்கள் என்று அனைத்துப் பொருட்களின் மீதும்… pic.twitter.com/4pLxul9Ph6
— Edappadi K Palaniswami-SayYEStoWomenSafety&AIADMK (@EPSTamilNadu) March 24, 2025
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai too joined in. “The violence unleashed against Shankar for just stating that the DMK government is embroiled in corruption is highly condemnable. It is understandable who has instigated the violence, from the fact that the police have not taken any action against those involved in the violence,” he wrote in a post on X.
A former lower division clerk in the intelligence wing of Tamil Nadu police, Shankar runs the YouTube channel and website, Savukku (whip). He was arrested twice by Tamil Nadu police on various charges and Goondas Act were slapped against him on at least two occasions.
On 4 May last year, Shankar was arrested by Coimbatore City police for his remarks against women police personnel during a YouTube interview. Subsequently, more than 15 cases were filed against him in different police stations across the state under various charges.
After he was released on bail on 25 September, he was arrested again by Chennai police on 17 December for failing to appear before a court in connection with a pending case filed against him earlier.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
Also Read: 76% of Chennai region’s migrant workers straddle poverty line, SC/STs work longer hrs—TN govt report