Published Oct 29, 2026 | 12:15 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 29, 2026 | 12:43 PM
Economist A Kalaiyarasan, associate professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS).
Synopsis: Economist and MIDS Associate Professor A Kalaiyarasan has alleged that three plainclothes policemen took him from his Chennai residence at 5 am over an abusive Instagram post on an account allegedly impersonating him. In a complaint to Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, he sought action over his alleged unlawful detention and impersonation, saying that such incidents could discourage public and academic debate.
“I was treated like a criminal, with policemen arriving at my doorstep in the wee hours, taking me away in my nightclothes.”
These are the words of economist A Kalaiyarasan, an Associate Professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS), in a complaint to Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, alleging that three plainclothes policemen took him from his Adyar residence at around 5 am on Wednesday, 28 October, over an abusive Instagram comment he says he did not post.
Kalaiyarasan alleged that the policemen took his mobile phone and took him away in a rented car without showing him a complaint, a First Information Report (FIR) or any document authorising the inquiry. The comment was allegedly directed at J Kamatchi, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) MLA representing Pallavaram.
He said he had no Instagram account and no connection with the account in question. He also alleged that the policemen initially did not allow him to inform his family before taking him away.
The incident has prompted allegations of an “intellectual hunt” and condemnation from political leaders, including former Chief Minister MK Stalin.
Kalaiyarasan is an economist and Associate Professor of Development Studies at the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS), Chennai. He holds a PhD in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, awarded in 2015. His research focuses on political economy, regional inequality, development and energy transitions in the Global South.
Screenshot of the Instagram account allegedly impersonating Kalaiyarasan.
He is the co-author of The Dravidian Model: Interpreting Political Economy of Tamil Nadu, published by Cambridge University Press. His academic career includes positions at the erstwhile Planning Commission of India, the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID), New Delhi, and research and teaching appointments at institutions including Brown University, Harvard University and IIT Bombay. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London.
Kalaiyarasan has contributed to the Tamil Nadu government’s Economic Survey on industrial policy and labour markets. He is also listed as an expert member of the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company’s Governing Council, which is associated with the state’s climate change initiatives.
His research and public commentary have focused on Tamil Nadu’s development model, economic policy and structural inequalities. He recently spoke about rising prices of essential commodities in Tamil Nadu, an issue that has featured in the political debate surrounding the incident.
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In his complaint, Kalaiyarasan said that he was himself the victim of the incident, alleging that someone had misused his photograph to create a fake Instagram account and publish abusive comments against a person he did not know.
“Moreover, I am the victim in this case, as someone misused my photograph to create a fake Instagram account and post abusive comments against the person I do not even know of,” he wrote.
According to his account, the policemen showed him a screenshot of the comment while returning him home. The Instagram account carried his photograph as its profile picture but used a different username, which he said he had never encountered.
He suspected that the photograph had been taken from the website of Harvard University, where he had previously worked as a research affiliate.
Kalaiyarasan said the vehicle stopped near Pallavaram for around 45 minutes while the policemen made and received several phone calls. They subsequently informed him that they had received instructions to take him back home.
After reaching his residence, he was asked to submit a written statement denying any connection with the Instagram account. He said he wrote to the Sankar Nagar police inspector stating that the account was not his and that he had no knowledge of any Instagram profile using his photograph. His phone was then returned, and he was dropped home at around 7.45 am.
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Kalaiyarasan expressed concern that the episode might not be merely about an Instagram account or the creation of a fake identity.
“I fear that this entire episode may not be merely about an Instagram account or the creation of a fake ID. It could also be a fabrication of an account to harass people and malign their reputation,” he wrote.
“As a keen observer of economic and political development of Tamil Nadu, I am concerned that such an act may discourage people participation in public debate and academic engagement,” he said.
He continued: “It is frightening to think that the police can knock on someone’s door in the early hours and take them away for no fault of their own.”
Seeking the DGP’s intervention, Kalaiyarasan requested appropriate action against those responsible for unlawful detention, creating a fake identity, posting derogatory comments and damaging his reputation in the public sphere.
DMK leaders M K Stalin and Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, along with CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam and NTK chief coordinator Seeman, condemned the police action and questioned whether it could discourage academics and others from voicing criticism of the government.
Stalin alleged that the incident reflected an attempt by the TVK government to intimidate critics and academics. He highlighted Kalaiyarasan’s academic credentials and questioned whether the economist had been targeted for discussing Tamil Nadu’s development model and the rise in the prices of essential commodities.
Stalin demanded a public apology from the state police and the Chief Minister, while alleging that the incident raised serious concerns about the government’s approach to criticism.
Kanimozhi also condemned the reported police action, alleging that the incident could be perceived as a warning to those who criticise the government’s handling of inflation and law and order.
CPI(M) state secretary P Shanmugam questioned why the police had not followed formal procedures if a complaint had been received. He said the authorities could have registered a case, where warranted, and issued a summons for an inquiry rather than taking the professor from his home in the early hours.
Seeman also condemned the incident and demanded an impartial investigation into the alleged impersonation, the circumstances in which Kalaiyarasan was taken away and the officials who authorised the action.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
