Chennai, Feb 11 (PTI) A violent clash broke out between DMK supporters and volunteers of Vijay-led TVK in the Harbour constituency of North Chennai on Wednesday following a heated altercation, leaving several persons injured, police said.
The clash, which occurred in the Parrys area, has led to hospitalisation on both sides and sparked allegations of voter intimidation and illegal data collection.
According to police sources and eyewitness accounts, the trouble began when a group of TVK volunteers, reportedly conducting “field work,” went door-to-door in the locality.
Residents alleged that the volunteers were demanding sensitive information, including Aadhaar card details, ration card numbers, and G-Pay linked mobile numbers.
“They were asking for our Aadhaar cards and counting the number of men and women in each house. When we asked why, they pressured us to vote for Vijay,” alleged a local resident to reporters.
“Who we vote for is our personal business. Is there a law that says we must vote for a specific person? We felt unsafe in our own homes,” the resident, who was being wheeled into Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, said.
According to sources, the verbal spat quickly escalated into a physical scuffle.
Witnesses claimed that during the melee, several women were assaulted.
Three women, including an elderly resident, who were rushed to the hospital, spoke to the reporters gathered there.
“They grabbed and pushed us. They even punched an elderly woman in the chest,” they claimed.
Meanwhile, TVK volunteers, some of whom have been admitted to the Stanley Government Hospital, denied the charges of intimidation. They claimed they were the victims of a targeted attack by DMK members.
Several TVK workers also alleged that DMK cadres initiated the violence to disrupt their door-to-door outreach.
Police have stepped up security in the Parrys and Harbour areas to prevent further escalation. PTI JR JR ROH
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