Kerala: YouTuber arrested for using foul words publicly, causing traffic jam

A controversial YouTuber, who had been accused of making allegedly objectionable remarks and creating a traffic block on a busy road in connection with the recent inauguration of a shop, was arrested on Friday morning (June 23), police said.

He was taken into custody from a house in Kochi early in the morning and his arrest was recorded after taking him to Valanchery in northern Malappuram, where the incident happened some days ago, they said.

YouTuber Thoppi, who has a large number of followers on social media platforms, was booked on Thursday (June 22) based on the complaint of a local public activist.

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The original name of the 24-year-old accused is Nihad, and he is a native of Kannur district. His YouTube channel has lakhs of subscribers, especially children.

Police broke open the door of his room

A police official said they had to break open the door of his room as the YouTuber was reluctant to open it despite repeated requests.

“We waited for half an hour. Still he didn’t open the door. So we were forced to break it open and took him into custody,” he told PTI.

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The official said they also feared the YouTuber might destroy the evidence in his phone and laptop if he got more time.

“Thoppi” put his phone on live record and posted the arrival of the police and his custody details through social media. Police later took his gadgets including his laptop into their custody as part of the investigation.

Thoppi booked for causing traffic jam, using foul words publicly

As per the complaint, the YouTuber had caused a traffic congestion for hours on the busy road in Valanchery, Malappuram recently. According to the police, a large number of people, especially youths and teenagers, had turned up for the programme.

The YouTuber was also accused of using obscene words while singing songs and making objectionable remarks during the programme, police said.

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The case was registered under various sections of the IPC for causing a traffic jam and for publicly using objectionable words, they said. IPC Sections including 283, 294 (b), and 364 (a), and section 67 of the IT Act have been slapped against the accused, the officer said.

The YouTuber would be produced before a court soon, he added.

(With agency inputs)