Dhinakaran terms Theni loyalists’ arrest ‘sadism’

He said his party would approach the court and claimed that over 100 of his supporters were arrested.

“This is sadism...political vendetta and misuse of power,” he said, adding his supporters were arrested just ahead of Deepavali celebrations.

Even some cadres of his party who had not attended the event were being taken into custody by police, he alleged. He said 21 of his party men have obtained anticipatory bail from the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

Dhinakaran, who continues his political battle with the ruling AIADMK over the legacy of late Jayalalithaa, said some people had torn the banners out of sheer anger against the government.

He also thanked the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court for providing anticipatory bail for those AMMK functionaries arrested under the charges of damaging public properties. “We are not leaving this, and we will drag the police officers concerned before the court of law,” he said.