Viduthalai: Part I (விடுதலை: பாகம் I)

This movie is a work of fiction.

All characters, names, places and other entities appearing in this work are fictitious.

Any resemblance to real persons, dead or alive, or other real-life entities, past or present, is purely coincidental.

This is purely a work of fiction.

Tamil People's Army.

An organisation on an armed rebellion against the state government in the 1980s.

They operated largely out of the three most backward and poverty-stricken districts.

And so the government couldn't open new factories...

or initiate development drives there.

Due to militant activity...

even existing factory owners moved out of those districts.

Two years ago...

the government granted license to a private mining corporation...

to extract minerals from the mountains of Arumapuri District.

In a district that hadn't seen growth or opportunities until then...

the people were assured 10,000 new jobs directly or indirectly...

by the government through the setting up of this corporation.

The People's Army opposed it.

This resulted in repeated clashes between the government and People's Army.

Both sides suffered loss of life.

To curb People's Army, the police set up a special force in Arumapuri District...

and posted hundreds of policemen along the mountains of the district.

By setting up checkposts along the mountains...

and camps at the villages on the foothills...

the special forces prevented People's Army from roaming free in the region.

To defend the mountain village of Selliyamman Durgam...

E-Company, a special task force, was posted there eight months ago.

After they set base there...

the People's Army's activity noticeably decreased in the region.

Deciding that the opening of mines will no longer incite trouble...

the govertment announced a commencement date for the project.

The next day...

Railway Authorities have announced that the express train set to arrive this morning...

from Capital City to Arumapuri has crashed on a bridge.

A railway authority has confirmed that the railway coaches fell into the river...

and that several lives were lost in this accident.

--our news correspondent reported that rescue operations are underway...

and that further information is awaited.

The Railway Minister and senior officials from Delhi have arrived at the spot now.

The State Welfare Minister Ilavarasu has arrived at the spot as well.

Hello, sir. - Yes.

Good morning, sir.

The area has been secured. We've called for additional forces...

and requested emergency medical support.

Sir, please.

Sir, my son is gone! - Ma'am, please...

Please, make way.

Shoo him away.

My child is gone!

Look at my son, sir!

My son and husband are gone!

Shoo that guy away!

Sir, this way.

Sir, this way.

Send that photographer away.

I told you to leave. - I am only clicking photos!

He had tattooed your party's emblem on his arm! Look at him now...

Oh, he was so young.

No photographs. - Hands off me.

Don't order me around.

I am a journalist. Let me do my job.

Fine, I won't take photos. Let me be.

My son has lost his leg...

We need help out here.

Hey! Don't do it. Wait!

Wait! Don't jump!

Listen to me! - The coach is shaky...

The Fire Service is on the way. - There are more people inside!

Are you mad? Told you not to jump...

He just jumped! - Get a stretcher. Quick!

Hurry up.

Yes, get some water.

Drink up...

It's alright...

Minister : The coach is unstable. Evacuate those people immediately.

The coach could collapse any second. Clear the area.

What?

Take them to the hospital in my car. Quick!

Get them in the boss's car.

Ambulances from neighbouring towns? - On the way, sir.

We've laid the bodies there. - Over there?

Minister : Careful, careful...

Careful, okay?

The engine and five coaches were derailed, sir.

The Railway Department evacuated the other coaches.

The Fire Brigade has arrived too.

Sir, this way.

Sir, the Collector is here.

Sir, what is this?

This is the work of whoever doesn't want the mining corporation here.

They've claimed responsibility in the poster. - That's not conclusive evidence.

Anybody could have used their name.

So we know nothing? - Sir, they had planted two bombs.

One of the bombs exploded.

Thankfully the other one didn't go off.

Had it exploded too, the damage would have been far worse.

The forensic department has secured that bomb.

They will analyse it to see if a similar one has been used before.

Then we can identify who is behind the attack.

Please remain calm...

Remain calm.

Who else but the People's Army opposes the mining corporation?

They've clearly stated their intent in that poster.

Who else but them?

Just tell them to confirm it was the People's Army.

We'll issue a press statement.

Brother, please save her.

She is losing so much blood.

Please come here.

Mary, look at me.

What will I tell your parents? - Careful.

I've got this, Comrade.

Careful, sir.

Comrade, tell all our men to get here as soon as possible.

Several injured people in there. Hurry up, Comrade.

It's going to be okay.

Be careful.

Hey! Hey!

Hurry up here. This baby is wounded.

Photographer, come here.

Hold on! I'm coming.

Just wait. - Hurry up here, sir.

Hurry, sir!

This baby is hurt. Carry her to the ambulance.

Hurry up. - Here.

Careful.

Careful!

It's okay. I've got her.

Help...

My baby... - I'm coming.

Lady...

It's okay, your baby is fine.

Raja...

Raja, pass me the rope.

Hold this.

Wait, don't do anything. Just stay put.

Sir, please help my family. They're trapped inside.

Policeman... policeman!

Policeman, come here.

Come here. Help me lift him.

Careful. Watch the leg.

Sir, please stop.

Sir, this is a major accident. Why aren't you doing anything?

The collector and SP have arrived within an hour of the incident.

I'm here... so many cops, railway police, doctors are all here.

Stop politicising everything!

So many people are fighting for their lives.

Is now the time to prove that we're not doing our jobs?

But that is a fact, sir.

Hold this, man.

Get down here.

This saw is blunt. Can't cut shit with it.

Look, his hand is hanging. Hold it.

Can't cut it loose.

Sir, it hurts... No!

Cop: Don't engage with him, Minister.

Photographer: Don't talk to me that way.

Minister: You've come to play detective now?

Photographer: This is a huge tragedy. You owe me answers.

Why are those people shouting? What's going on?

Oh, no. Get back. Back!

What's going on?

Oh, no. Everybody, get back.

I hope there's no one inside...

The injured have been admitted to government and private hospitals.

Since several of the injured are in critical state...

it is feared that the death toll may rise.

The Railway Bridge bombing was carried out to destroy the sovereignty of our nation...

by the People's Army.

Sir, that is obvious from the posters on the bridge.

What have you done to catch them?

I have-- - See.

It's not about what we have done.

It's time to address what all of us must do.

When journalists write about this organisation and its leaders...

--not all journalists, but some of you...

it feels like you are glorifying them.

Please avoid it.

So what if a few reporters write in their favour?

What one reporter writes is read by thousands.

Even if a handful of readers...

were to look up to that criminal as a mentor or a revolutionary...

then even the neutrals will start switching to their side.

So please write responsibly.

There is this guy called Perumal.

You call him "Vaathiyaar", a mentor.

Or "Ghost".

You refer to this other guy as T. A.

Refer to those involved in terror activities as terrorists.

Don't turn them into heroes.

A journalist's job is not to follow your instructions.

We exist to question the government.

Please go ahead and question us.

No one is stopping you.

But ask the right questions.

Twenty-five people have died.

Over a hundred are critically injured and fighting for their lives.

How could you justify such an act?

No one is trying to justify anything.

Of course, they should be punished.