Seven persons, including All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam functionaries, were detained by the Nungambakkam police after they picked a quarrel with a senior police official at a restaurant on Sunday night, police said.
The official objected to the restaurant being open beyond permissible hours but the party functionaries, who were having food there, took exception to his intervention.
The party functionaries sought the help of Information Minister G. Senthamizhan and Thousands Lights MLA B. Valarmathi, who went to the police station in the early hours of Monday. However, both said they had gone there only to make enquiries and not to interfere with the investigation.
According to police sources, Deputy Commissioner of Police (T. Nagar) Thirunavukkarasu was returning home from work on Sunday night when he saw a restaurant operating late. When the official asked the staff to close down, the AIADMK cadres entered into a heated argument with him.
Mr. Thirunavukkarasu and a few police personnel with him apprehended the party workers, including AIADMK area secretary Nungai Maran and Jaya Peravai functionary Sabapathy, and handed them over to the Nungambakkam police.
When senior police officials went to the station for further investigation, the AIADMK cadres accused the DCP of assaulting them and lodged a written complaint against him.
When contacted, Mr. Senthamizhan told The Hindu , “I did go to the police station, but I did not interfere with the work of the police.” Ms. Valarmathi said she had received a call from her party functionary that he had been beaten up while he was having tea. “As he is our area secretary, I immediately went there to see him.”
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) P. Thamarai Kannan said, “We are insisting that restaurants, liquor outlets/bars and other shops should operate as per the licence conditions. Action is being taken against shops operating beyond the permitted time. In this case the restaurant was open till late.”
Police sources said the AIADMK workers had pasted posters till midnight on Sunday in connection with the visit of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to New Delhi. They went to the restaurant on Valluvar Kottam High Road for dinner when the incident took place.
The Nungambakkam police are investigating.
