'Makkal Selvan' Vijay Sethupathi on Monday announced his decision to not act in the Muttiah Muralitharan biopic, 800, based on the Sri Lankan cricketer's request after several people on social media, including notable personalities raised objections to him being a part of the film. However, a Twitter user (Handle: @ItsRithikRajh), hours after Vijay Sethupathi's decision, issued rape threats against the actor's minor daughter. Now, Mahesh Aggarwal, Additional Director General of Police/ Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai, Tamil Nadu issued a statement on Tuesday on his Twitter page saying the Cyber cell of the Chennai police have registered a case in connection with the Twitter user's rape threats to the actor's daughter. He tweeted, "There has been lot of concern in social media regarding comments made in social media against a celebrity. On receipt of complaint to this effect a case in Cyber Cell has been registered."

There has been lot of concern in social media regarding comments made in social media against a celebrity. On receipt of complaint to this effect a case in Cyber Cell has been registered.

— Mahesh Aggarwal, IPS (@copmahesh1994) October 20, 2020

The Twitter user had tweeted pictures of Vijay Sethupathi and his underage daughter on Monday and told that she should be raped so that "her father would understand the difficult lives led by Tamils in Sri Lanka." Soon after the rape threat, several social media users condemned the offensive crass language and demanded that the individual be arrested for the violent statements against a child. The Twitter user's past tweets revealed the individual is a habitual offender who has issued rape threats to seveal women, including passing off offensive sexual comments.

Numerous social media users lashed out against the offensive tweet, including Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Women's wing secretary and Member of Parliament Kanimozhi, who on Tuesday tweeted, "The perverse intimidation of Vijay Sethupathi's #daughter is not only barbaric but extremely dangerous to the very fabric of our society. Making women and children the soft targets is a cowardly act. The police should take stern action against the perpetrator. #VijaySethupathi". DMK MP S Senthil Kumar too wrote on his Twitter page saying, "Are they human beings? Kindly track this person and put him behind bars", while tagging the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (CMO) and the Chennai Police’s official Twitter handles.

Singer Chinmayi expressed her anger as well and tweeted, "A Tamil man recording his difference of opinion. This is why many in this society stand in support of the predators. Is nobody in this system going to change this? A man who can say in public about raping a child is a criminal." Tagging the official Twitter handles of Chennai Police and the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Adyar, she wrote again, "Why does this crappy society do this? Watch silently when this happens? How are men raised to speak out a rape threat? Why is it when adults fight like hyenas, the women and children have to suffer? Shame on all of you who do it and those who watch and remain silent."