RAMANATHAPURAM
Kamuthi police have registered a first information report (FIR) against the supporters of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran on a charge of tearing the flex boards, featuring Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and his Cabinet colleagues, when they visited Pasumpon to pay homage to freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar on Tuesday.
Acting on a complaint lodged by M.A. Muniasamy, AIADMK district secretary, the police registered the FIR on Wednesday charging the AMMK cadre under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Tamil Nadu Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act.
In his complaint, Mr. Muniasamy said the party had installed more than 200 flex boards and put up about 2,000 party flags on either side of the road from the entrance arch to the memorial to welcome the Chief Minister and other Ministers who visited Pasumpon on the occasion of the 111th birth anniversary and the 56th ‘guru puja’ of Muthuramalinga Thevar.
The Chief Minister and Ministers left the spot after paying homage in the morning, and about 100 supporters of Mr. Dhinakaran, who visited the memorial in the afternoon, went berserk, tearing down the banners, flex boards and removing flag poles causing damage to the tune of ₹ 15 lakh.
They had also raised slogans against AIADMK leaders and threatened to kill them if they visited the memorial next year, he said in the complaint. The AMMK cadre went on the rampage at the instigation of Mr. Dhinakaran, party district secretary Va.Thu. Anand and Kamuthi office-bearers V.K.G. Muthuramalingam and K. Muthu, he said.
Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena said 36 flex boards put up by the AIADMK, 28 by the DMK and four by the MDMK were found damaged. If complaints were filed, the police would take action after identifying the offenders with the help of CCTV footage. A total of 550 flex boards were erected in the village with police permission, he said.
Action would be taken against those who had travelled atop vehicles and government buses, violating police orders. Special teams had been formed to identify the offenders with the help of CCTV footage, he added.