MLA among 18 DMDK men held for 'assaulting' scribes

Chennai: A DMDK MLA and 17 other party functionaries were arrested in connection with alleged assault of journalists when the latter staged a protest outside party founder Vijayakanth's residence here today, police said.

The 'assault' occurred when some journalists staged a protest outside Vijayakanth's residence here for his recent alleged indecent behaviour against reporters, police said.

Party MLA B Parthasarathy was among those arrested in this connection following a complaint, they said.

Strongly criticising police action, Vijayakanth alleged that "AIADMK men under the guise of journalists" tried to picket his house and it had become 'routine' for the ruling party workers to stage protest outside his house or party office.

Despite repeatedly taking up the matter with police, there was no action and therefore Parthasarathy had gone to the local police station seeking protection for his (Vijayakanth's) house, the actor-politician said in a statement.

But the MLA himself and some others were arrested, he said and condemned the police action.

A journalist who was present at the scene said that stones were pelted at them while attempts were also made to attack them using wooden logs before they fled the place.

Vijayakanth, also the Opposition Leader in state Assembly, wondered how police permission was granted to stage a protest outside his house as they are allowed only at specific locations in the city.

He alleged that the protest was done "at the behest of the Chief Minister."

Vijayakanth said it was the duty of the state to provide adequate security to the Leader of the Opposition, but expressed apprehensions that police was not doing the job properly.

The DMDK founder asked if permission would be granted to stage protests outside the residences of Chief Minister or other cabinet ministers and insisted that the government was trying to deflect attention from the post-flood scenario.

DMDK and other opposition parties have been alleging that the AIADMK government had not delivered properly in the flood relief and rehabilitation.

Alleging that such protests were planned by the ruling dispensation, he warned that if these continued, "I don't have any other option other than staging protests outside Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's residence."