Udhayanidhi Stalin participated in and spoke at the DMK protest held in Thanjavur. At that time, based on a complaint filed by a TVK women’s wing functionary alleging that he had spoken obscenely about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, police arrested the Leader of the Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, in Chennai.
In this situation, the news of Udhayanidhi Stalin’s arrest caused a major shock among DMK members in Thanjavur. Following this, in the morning, hundreds of DMK members staged a road blockade protest near the Thanjavur railway station. They then set off from there in a march.
DMK Central District Secretary and MLA Durai. Chandrasekaran, former Minister Vaithilingam, former MLAs T.K.G. Neelamegam and Ramachandran, Youth Wing Deputy Secretary Ilayaraja, City Secretary San. Ramanathan, along with many other DMK functionaries and cadres, took part.
At that time, they came toward the old bus stand while raising slogans condemning the arrest of Udhayanidhi Stalin and condemning the TVK government.
On one side, the TVK women’s wing staged a protest, while on the other, DMK members arrived in a procession, creating a tense situation in the Old Bus Stand area. As a precautionary measure, a large number of police personnel were deployed around the Anna statue roundabout.
Meanwhile, DMK members who came near the Old Bus Stand tore down and threw away the TVK flags that had been placed there. This led to tension in the area. They then continued their protest by sitting on the road and lying down on it, carrying out a road blockade. As a result, traffic was disrupted, with buses and vehicles unable to pass.
Following this, DMK members set fire to an effigy of Chief Minister Vijay. They also expressed their opposition by hitting his portrait with a shoe.
Upon learning of this, TVK members also came toward the Anna statue area from the protest site. As DMK members and TVK supporters gathered in the same place, the tension increased further. As a result, the police tried to bring the situation under control by setting up barricades between the two sides.
However, despite the barricades, both sides engaged in an argument with each other. Later, a scuffle broke out between them. At one point, both sides began throwing slippers and stones at each other in turn.
As a result, there was great tension in and around the Thanjavur old bus stand. Following the emergence of a risk of clashes between the two groups, the police immediately intervened and instructed both sides to disperse. They also set up barricades and tightened security.
Following this, police were deployed in large numbers for security at key locations across Thanjavur city. In particular, police surveillance was intensified in areas where the old bus stand, the Panagal Building, and the offices of political parties are located.
As police brought Udhayanidhi Stalin from Chennai to produce him before the Thanjavur court, security arrangements were strengthened, anticipating that his supporters might engage in further protests.
For this, the police who registered the case at the Thanjavur East Police Station went to Chennai under the leadership of DSP Alagesan. Later, they arrested Udhayanidhi Stalin in Chennai and, taking him along, left for Thanjavur by van around 11 a.m.
Meanwhile, since the Thanjavur East Police Station, where the case was registered against him, is located in a cramped place with insufficient space, arrangements were made to conduct the inquiry at the Thanjavur South Police Station, fearing that DMK members would create obstacles to the investigation.
Following this, Sachidananda Muppanar Road, where the South Police Station is located, was completely brought under the control of the police department by evening, and barricades were set up on both sides to block it.
To conduct the inquiry at the South Police Station, 5 SPs, including Thanjavur SP Sundaravadanam, Ariyalur SP Selvakumar, and Tiruvarur SP Satheeshkumar, were waiting. More than 500 police personnel were engaged in security duty.
Thanjavur Range DIG Zia Ul Haq monitored these security arrangements from the Thanjavur South Police Station. On the other hand, a large number of DMK members had gathered near the Manimandapam roundabout.
They intermittently criticized the police department and the Tamil Nadu government, and raised slogans against the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. After that, DMK members tore down the TVK flex banner there, set it on fire, and raised slogans against Vijay.
Similarly, DMK members threw a stone. This stone fell on the security vehicle that was following the Thanjavur SP’s vehicle. In addition, DMK members blocked the SP’s vehicle and raised slogans against the police. As a result, a tense atmosphere intermittently prevailed in that area.
Meanwhile, around 6:30 p.m., the police vehicle that came via Trichy went up to the Poondi junction and then took Udhayanidhi Stalin back to the Sengipatti police station.
Udhayanidhi Stalin said he would enter the police station only if his lawyers arrived, and so he remained in the vehicle there for about half an hour without getting down. Later, DMK lawyers went from Thanjavur to the Sengipatti police station.
After that, Udhayanidhi got down from the vehicle and went inside the police station. He was questioned by Thanjavur East Police Station Inspector Manikandan in the presence of Thanjavur SP Sundaravadhanam.
During the investigation, which lasted about an hour, Udhayanidhi Stalin answered the police’s questions. As soon as word spread that Udhayanidhi Stalin had arrived at the Sengipatti police station, thousands of DMK cadres gathered there and raised slogans against the police and against the Tamil Nadu government.
At that time, Bigg Boss Julie also stood among the DMK supporters and raised slogans against the TVK government. Since DMK supporters arrived in large numbers in many vehicles, traffic was disrupted on the Thanjavur–Trichy road.
As a result, the public and many people traveling in vehicles were affected. Likewise, DMK supporters expressed their joy by bursting firecrackers and congratulating Udhayanidhi Stalin.