A group of journalists were assaulted by members of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam near the party leader Vijayakant’s house in Virugambakkam on Thursday. DMDK MLA B. Parthasarathy and 18 others were arrested in this connection.
A few journalists had gone to the DMDK chief’s house to protest against the actor spitting on journalists a few days ago. “When they went there, some DMDK cadres pelted stones at them. This caused a flutter in the locality for sometime. Some of the journalists sustained minor injuries,” said a police source.
Based on a complaint from Varahi, one of the journalists, Virugambakkam police registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including those pertaining to rioting with deadly weapons, criminal intimidation and also under Tamil Nadu Prevention of Damaging Public Property Act.
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Subsequently, Mr. Partharasathy and 18 others were arrested and sent to judicial custody. “The police had given us permission and allotted space for the protest. It was not even near Vijayakanth’s house. We started the protest around 11 a.m. and after 20 minutes, the DMDK cadres started throwing stones. The police did not even prevent the attack” said Anbalagan, president, Chennai Union of Journalists.
Meanwhile, M. R. Paneerselvam, from the DMDK Lawyer Wing, lodged a complaint with the police commissioner seeking action against the journalists.