The car with the DMK flag blocking the women's car, as seen in the video.
Credit: X/@karthikgnath
Chennai: A video clip of women in a car being chased and intimidated by men in another vehicle with the flag of the ruling DMK has gone viral on social media, prompting the opposition to criticise the M K Stalin-led government yet again on the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu.
After the video was shared widely on multiple social media platforms, the Tambaram City Police on Wednesday said a case has been filed under sections 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 296(b), obscene acts and songs, 324 (2) mischief, 351(2) criminal intimidation, of BNS, and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Of Harassment Of Women Act, 1998.
The police also said they have formed three special teams to look out for the accused and analyse CCTV footage on the scenic East Coast Road. The statement added that a woman filed a complaint at the Kanathur police station on January 26 that her car was chased by two vehicles on a bridge in Muttukadu on the ECR in the wee hours.
The woman alleged in her complaint that the two cars chased her vehicle to her house in Kanathur and its occupants indulged in a verbal duel with her and her friends. “The men alleged that the woman hit their car and sped from the spot. However, the complainant maintains that no such incident of hitting a car took place,” the statement added.
Referring to the video clip, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami sought to ask whether women have lost the right to move around during the night under the DMK government.
“Is the ruling party flag a licence for committing crimes against women?” he asked and urged registration of a case immediately. The video clip shows an SUV with a DMK flag obstructing the way for the car and a man running towards the vehicle of a women.
Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai urged the government to increase the number of patrol vehicles, including motorcycles, and step up the patrol during night hours.
The incident comes a month after the DMK government came under attack from various quarters for its handling of the sexual assault of a woman student at the prestigious Anna University.