Chennai: Tension prevailed in Tambaram bus terminus after a group of 15 men thrashed the shops that were kept open on Thursday. The unruly gang also smashed the autos that were carrying passengers leaving the public in a state of panic.
The incident created a ripple effect in Tambaram and within minutes almost all the shops were seen closed in the vicinity of the Tambaram railway station and arterial bus stand. However, the situation returned to normal by noon after heavy police deployment.
The DMK functionaries and cadres who were arrested for staging protests said that they had nothing to do with the gang and the police remained clueless about the gang that fled after witnessing the arrival of police patrol vehicles. Fearing assault, staff working in two tiffin centers also ran helter skelter. Two auto drivers were also beaten up by the gang.
Tambaram had always been a safe place known for connectivity, but finding autos and cabs was difficult on Thursday after the unruly behaviour. Patients who thronged the Tambaram Hindu Mission Hospital and Siddha government hospital were stranded, said a former AIADMK councillor. Traffic along the arterial GST road was affected near Chrompet and Pallavaram. Police detained around 200 DMK cadres for blocking the road and were released later in the day.
The roads in Kancheepuram were also deserted because of the bandh but no untoward incidents were reported from the district but buses saw poor patronage during morning hours.
