CHENNAI: City Airport Police on Sunday booked Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) cadre including the Deputy Secretary of the party's legal wing, Santhosh, for gathering in huge numbers near the airport in violation of Election Commission (EC) norms to welcome their general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth, who had returned from Delhi on Saturday.

Hundreds of party workers and functionaries attempted to enter Chennai airport to receive Premalatha Vijayakanth who was returning to the city after receiving the Padma Bhushan award accorded posthumously to her late husband, actor, and DMDK founder Vijayakanth.

The party cadre had also attempted to take out a procession up till the party office in Koyambedu but were stopped by the police who told them the procession could not be allowed since the Model Code of Conduct is in place in the state, until the end of the Lok Sabha elections.

This led to an argument between the police and the DMDK cadre, leading to commotion on GST road.

The police said they were told that only 50 supporters would be at the airport. They added that if more than a hundred people were planning to undertake a procession, prior permission was mandatory.

Based on a complaint by an EC official, Airport Police booked a case under several sections of IPC including 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty).