The Triplicane police have booked a case against over 1000 Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) cadre including PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss, PMK leaders GK Mani and AK Murthy on Wednesday for conducting a protest in the area without permission and for violating the lockdown norms. The Nungambbakam police have also registered a case against over 160 PMK workers protesting in Valluvar Kottam on Wednesday.
The PMK members conducted protests at various parts of Chennai for the third consecutive day on Wednesday demanding 20% sub-quota for Vanniyars, a Most Backward Community, in education and government jobs in Tamil Nadu. PMK founder Ramadoss has called for a protest in Chennai till Friday.
On Wednesday, the PMK members staged a protest in Valluvar Kottam violating lockdown norms. Following this, Nungambakkam police booked a case against 160 members including Mani, former Union Minister AK Murthy under Epidemic Diseases Act ad IPC.
On Tuesday, PMK leaders including youth wing leader and former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss protested in Triplicane to press their demand. Following this, the Triplicane booked cases under Sections 143 (Unlawful assembly),188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of Indian Penal Code and Section 3, Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, said reports.
Accordingly, the FIR also reportedly mentioned that Anbumani Ramadoss was absconding. Police said that the leader immediately left after the protest to meet Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
On Tuesday, even hours before the protest, over 20 PMK members started pelting stones on a moving train since the police refused to provide permission to enter Chennai. More than 20 members entered Perungalathur railway station and started pelting stones until the train came to a halt.
After taking note of the issue, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam held talks with PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss at the Secretariat. PMK leader Anbumani, addressing the press at the Secretariat on Tuesday, lashed out at the media for allegedly labelling his party members as violent and said the media is over-reacting to the situation created by someone else.