Voters join AIADMK men to assault DMK candidate in Andipatti

Andipatti, Tamil Nadu, May 8 (UNI) DMK candidate in Andipatti constituency, B Seeman, taking on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, was assaulted by the irate AIADMK workers as well as the voters for obstructing polling at Rajendra Nagar under Kandamanur police limits in Theni District today.

According to police, Mr Seeman, who arrived with a group of supporters in the morning barged into the polling booth and tampered with the functioning of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). They also disconnected power supply to the EVMs.

A clash ensued when the AIADMK supporters challenged him. He was thrashed by the AIADMK men, who were also joined by the angry voters. Right from the commencement of polling, the agents of both, the DMK and AIADMK, were engaged in a verbal duel.

District SP, Dinakaran, who rushed to the spot, on information, controlled the situation. Polling which was disrupted for nearly an hour and resumed after the EVMs were replaced.

According to AIADMK functionaries, Mr Seeman was bent upon holding the democratic process to ransom through violence as there was brisk polling in the area, considered to be a party stronghold.

On a complaint from the Presiding Officer of the booth, Thangapandi Rajan, the Kandamanur police have registered a case against Mr Seeman, charging him with trespassing into the polling booth, damaging the EVMs and indulging in arson. The Presiding Office had also took it up with the Assistant Returning Officer for Andipatti, Vaidhyanathan.

Earlier in the day, the SP told UNI that the police was pursuing action against the DMK candidate on the complaint.

Meanwhile, Mr Seeman, who was 'rescued' by the police, alleged that the AIADMK had indulged in large-scale bogus voting in that booth, warranting his intervention. In his complaint lodged with the police, he had named four AIADMK functionaries of assaulting him and a few others of abetting bogus voting.

Barring this incident, polling was by and large peaceful in the 'star' constituency which recorded over and above 60 per cent of voting.

UNI CR SB RS2134