DMK-TVK verbal quarrel turns into assault in Kumbakonam; 6 injured

TIRUCHY: A verbal quarrel snowballed into an assault between DMK and TVK cadres at Kumbakonam during the campaign when TVK cadres raised questions about the distribution of sample coupons worth Rs 8,000 by the DMK cadres, in which six cadres from both parties sustained injuries. In contrast, TVK cadres staged a protest condemning the DMK functionaries.

It is said that while the TVK cadres were campaigning at Thukkampalayam street in the Ward No 17 of Kumbakonam City Corporation, the DMK cadres headed by the Deputy Mayor and Urban District Secretary Tamilazhagan came there and started distributing the sample coupons of Rs 8,000 to the residents. Soon, the TVK cadres objected to the DMK members.

Suddenly, Tamilazhagan pulled the shirt of a TVK functionary and started using abusive words. The TVK cadres raised noise, and soon, the DMK functionaries started manhandling the TVK cadres. They retaliated for the assault in which three DMK functionaries, including DMK 17 th Ward Secretary Sababathi and Branch Secretary Kalyanasundaram sustained injuries.

Similarly, the TVK District Traders Wing Organiser Benjamin, Urban Secretary Muruganandam and Urban Youth Wing Organiser Santhi sustained injuries, and they were rushed to the Kumbakonam GH by their respective party functionaries.

Meanwhile, the TVK Kumbakonam candidate Vinoth Ravi and the party cadres staged a protest at Gandhi park condemning the attack and demanding the arrest of DMK urban district secretary Tamilazhagan. The TVK cadres also staged a roadblock protest.

On information, Kumbakonam East police rushed to the spot and held talks with the protesting TVK members. The police asked the cadres to submit a petition in this regard to the Returning Officer, as the Model Code of Conduct is in place. Subsequently, they dispersed from the spot.

TVK candidate Vinoth Ravi said that the DMK urban district secretary and deputy mayor Tamilazhagan, and a few others, were seen distributing the sample coupons of Rs 8,000 to the residents, particularly the women, while the TVK cadres were campaigning.

“The DMK functionaries also were telling the residents to chase away the TVK cadres as though we are anti-socials, and this triggered an argument between the two groups in which the DMK functionaries manhandled our cadres, and a woman functionary too sustained injuries. We have lodged a complaint with the Returning Officer demanding action,” Vinoth Ravi said.

Tamilazhagan said that the DMK cadres were campaigning calmly by distributing the sample coupons of Rs 8000. “We had already got the permission from the poll officers to distribute the sample coupons, but the TVK cadres had opposed this, and this triggered a heated argument that ended up with a scuffle between the two groups of cadres. Our functionaries sustained severe injuries, and we have lodged a complaint with the Returning officer demanding the arrest of the members who assaulted the DMK cadres,” said Tamilazhagan.