Thousands of AIADMK cadres were taken into custody across Tamil Nadu and many were injured in a baton-charge by police at Karoor near Tiruchirappalli, when they resorted to road blockades to protest against chief minister M Karunanidhi’s alleged derogatory remarks against their party chief Jayalalitha.
The irate party workers, including a large number of women,who raised slogans against Mr Karunanidhi,  also burnt his effigies and copies of the DMK mouthpiece Murasoli. Top leaders of the AIADMK including presidium chairman E Madhusudanan, organising secretary Sulochana Sampath and former ministers D Jayakumar and B Valarmathi, were among those arrested in Chennai. About 2,500 workers, including 1,100 women, were arrested in the city.
Former AIADMK minister K P Anbazhagan and 500 party workers were taken into custody at Dharmapuri. Many AIADMK workers including party MLA Chenthil Balaji suffered injuries in the baton-charge by police at Karoor.
Police tried to stop the workers, who had taken out a procession under the leadership of Balaji, near the bus terminus. They resorted to baton-charge when the activists retaliated against their efforts to stop them.
In Villupuram district, a police inspector suffered burns on his legs when he attempted to prevent protestors from burning copies of Murasoli near Kottaikuppam, police said.
Accusing Mr Karunanidhi of making derogatory remarks against her, Jayalalitha had on Tuesday warned that AIADMK cadres would not be mere spectators if he went on making such comments.