While polling in Chennai city was largely peaceful, there were scattered incidents of violence, particularly in North Chennai, as rival party candidates locked horns.
There were allegations of booth capturing, distribution of money, lax police security and biased polling officials and policemen.
Around 4.30 p.m., there was some commotion on School Road in Manali, where rival parties accused AIADMK partymen of attempting to capture a booth. Tension escalated and the policemen at the spot attempted to pacify the agitators.
In another incident at a booth near Anna Nagar Tower Park after polling hours, police teams resorted to lathi-charge on crowds after a clash broke out between members of AIADMK and DMDK, around 7.15 p.m.
In a clear case of cash distribution among voters, around 11 a.m., a group of men discreetly handed over Rs. 500 each to persons standing in a queue, mostly comprising senior citizens, at the polling booth inside ECI Matriculation School in Tondiarpet. This also led to fracas between rival parties, and resulted in one group fleeing the spot.
Lathi-charge incidents were also reported from Royapettah and parts of Moorthingar Nagar in Vyasarpadi on Thursday afternoon.
However, no serious clashes were reported in the city.
