Chennai: V. Gopalsamy alias as Vaiko has been arrested at his Anna Nagar residence in Chennai on Thursday evening by the Tamil Nadu “Q” branch police on the charge of fomenting secessionist violence in support of the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The Police action followed Mr Vaiko’s fiery speech at a public meeting here on October 21 on “What is happening in Sri Lanka”. Vaiko had asked the Central Government to cut off diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka in retaliation for its military action against the Tamils.

This is the second time that the leader of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) Vaiko has been arrested for supporting a banned group, the earlier occasion being during the previous AIADMK government when he was held under POTA.