Chennai, Sep 18 (IANS): The Tenkasi police has arrested Maheswaran, a shopkeeper for refusing to sell snacks and candies to Scheduled Caste children. The district administration sealed the shop and cancelled his license.

Police said that a group of Scheduled Caste children approached Maheswaran for buying snacks and candies on Saturday. He refused to sell them and told them that they won't get snacks and candies or for that matter anything from his shop.

When the children asked him the reason, he told them that the village elders belonging to his community had decided that they wouldn't sell anything to the Scheduled Caste people. The video of Maheswaran refusing to sell snacks and candies went viral and Tenkasi district collector, P. Akash intervened in the matter and ordered an investigation.

It was found that there was a clash between a group of Scheduled Caste youths with the youths of the intermediate caste during a marriage function and police had registered a case against youths of both sides. A youth belonging to the intermediate caste, K. Ramachandran was to attend an interview with a defence force, but was not able to attend as he was charged under SC/ST Atrocities Act. This infuriated the intermediate caste people and decided to ostracise the Scheduled Caste youth.

Ramachandran was arrested by the Karivalamvanthallur police in Tenkasi district and later on Saturday night, Maheswaran was also arrested.