Chennai: Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police, A K Viswanathan, today called on Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at the latter’s camp office here, following the violence that broke out at an anti-Citizenship Amendment ACT (CAA) protest in the city last night.
During the meeting, sources said, the top official explained the CM the circumstances that forced the police to resort to use force on protesters.
Muslim groups hit the road at Washermenpet against CAA, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR) last night.
The agitation ended up in violence. The protesters were detained for holding demonstration without prior police permission, and were later released.This morning, Muslims staged agitations in various parts of the State, seeking action against police officials who assaulted their counterparts in the city last night.
Meanwhile, Viswanathan today visited Government Stanley Hospital to enquire the health condition of the police personnel who were injured in the violence. our from the police department- a woman Joint Commissioner, two women Constables and a Sub-Inspector were injured in stone pelting. The Commissioner promised that a fair inquiry will be conducted into the incident.
Protesters allege that the situation escalated after some of them were forcibly removed from the protest site, leading to a commotion between them and the police. The protesters blocked interior streets and entrance to the Mint Bridge leading to a traffic snarls. Police sources said they were forced to carry out lathi charge only after stones were pelted at them.
Meanwhile, DMK president M K Stalin, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan and AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran have slammed the government and the police. They demanded action against police officers who attacked the protesters.
Rajini Vs DMK
A social media war happened between DMK members and Rajinikanth’s fans today. While DMK supporters trended the hashtag #VeedhikuVaaRajini, urging the actor to speak out on last night’s violence, supporters of the superstar and others alleged that it was the DMK which actually instigated the violence for political gains. They trended the hashtags #Kalavarathai_Thoondum_ThiMUKa and #Muslimgalin_Dhrogi_ThiMuKa. They also posted videos and photos to support their claim.