200 DMK members booked for protest ‘without nod’

CHENNAI: At least 200 DMK functionaries and members, including party deputy general secretary A Raja, former ministers Ma Subramanian, P K Sekar Babu, former MP R S Bharathi, Mayor R Priya and other senior party functionaries, were booked on Sunday for allegedly protesting at Saidapet here without obtaining permission. They were protesting against the recent speech of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in the Assembly.

Police said a case under Section 189 (unlawful assembly) of the BNS has been registered for now. Further probe is under way.

A police source told TNIE that the protest was held without permission and it was not a designated place for protest. “We have registered a case under one section as of now. After further discussion with senior officers, we will decide if other sections need to be invoked,” a police officer said.

Separately, later on Sunday, Tiruvallur district TVK officials lodged a formal complaint to the district police against DMK functionaries who allegedly made derogatory comments against TVK functionaries at the protest. They demanded action against them.