Chaotic welcome for DMK MP Kanimozhi at Chennai airport after diplomatic mission

CHENNAI: DMK Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi returned to Chennai on Tuesday after leading a crucial diplomatic delegation, but her arrival was overshadowed by chaotic scenes at the airport as a massive crowd of supporters caused significant disruptions.

Kanimozhi was heading an Indian MPs' delegation tasked with explaining India's position on "Operation Sindoor" – the military action targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack in Kashmir – to various countries, including Russia and Spain. She arrived at Chennai International Airport around 3:30 pm via an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi.

Her return, however, sparked an overwhelming response from party cadres. Over a thousand supporters, predominantly from the DMK's women's wing and other party units, thronged the airport premises to welcome her. The sheer size of the crowd quickly overwhelmed security arrangements.

Kanimozhi faced significant difficulty navigating the terminal and reaching her vehicle due to the dense, enthusiastic crowd. Supporters surged forward, chanting slogans hailing her as a "historic achiever," "people's leader," and a "leader with a mother's heart."

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and airport police were forced to rapidly erect barricades and form a protective cordon to safely escort the MP out of the terminal building and into her waiting car.

Tensions flared momentarily between CISF personnel attempting to manage the crowd and the surging DMK supporters, creating a tense situation, according to eyewitnesses.

The chaos extended beyond the terminal as over a hundred cars accompanying the supporters entered the airport premises, converging near the terminal and causing severe traffic congestion. This also disrupted the movement of other passengers' vehicles and general airport traffic flow for a considerable period.