Members of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) laid siege to the Vaniyambadi municipality office on Monday night after a staff of a Minister allegedly tried to tamper with the nomination papers. Following a complaint from the Returning Officer (RO) of Vaniyambadi municipality, police have issued a Community Service Register (CSR).
The DMK party members charged Prakasam, who is on the staff of a Minister, with making corrections in the nomination papers at the Vaniyambadi municipality office.
According to police, the wife of Prakasam had filed nomination to contest the local body polls. “Prakasam told us that he had gone to the municipality at about 8.30 p.m. to reportedly check if appropriate documents were filed when DMK party members charged him with trying to tamper with the documents,” a police officer said.
Following this, a verbal duel ensued between the two party men. Pandemonium prevailed at the municipal office for close to four hours. DMK party cadre gheraoed the municipal office, and were joined by members of other parties too. District Revenue Officer K. Manivannan rushed to the spot and held talks with the party members.
The police officer said the issue was resolved by 1 a.m. Gopu, RO of Vaniyambadi Municipality, filed a complaint with the Vaniyambadi town police station.
A senior official of the district administration said that Mr. Prakasam had gone to clarify a doubt with the Assistant Returning Officer at about 8.30 p.m. “He was followed by a few DMK party members. They charged him with making correction in the papers and an altercation ensued. They also said that municipality office was kept open at that time to enable him to do so but this was not true. Soon, 300 to 400 party cadre gheraoed the office,” he said. The tahsildar and DRO rushed to the spot. Though the RO and ARO told the DMK party cadre that no tampering was done, they refused to believe and demanded that the papers be shown to them, he said.
The tension continued on Tuesday morning but police pacified the protesters.
