2026 TN elections | Attack on pregnant NTK candidate: Over 200 cadre held for police station siege

TIRUCHY: Police arrested 225 cadres of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) on Saturday after they staged a protest near the Ammapettai police station in Thanjavur, demanding the arrest of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) functionaries accused of attacking a pregnant NTK candidate.

The protesters also attempted to besiege the station and block traffic on the Thanjavur–Nagapattinam National Highway, causing disruption for about an hour.

All those detained were released later in the evening.

The protest follows an incident on April 23 during polling, when NTK’s Papanasam candidate Aneez Fathima (25), who is pregnant, was allegedly stopped near a polling station by DMK functionaries led by a union secretary, objecting entry with the party symbol, triggering a verbal altercation that escalated into a scuffle.

During the incident, she was allegedly pushed, fell unconscious, and was admitted to Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, where she is undergoing treatment.

On Saturday, NTK cadres gathered in front of the Ammapettai police station, insisting on immediate arrests. Police informed them that the accused had absconded and sought time to trace them; following this, the cadres intensified their protest by attempting a road blockade, which led to their detention.