Udhayanidhi Stalin released hours after arrest in Trisha remarks case, greets crowd
Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was arrested on Tuesday night in connection with the alleged "double-meaning" remark case, was released on
Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was arrested on Tuesday night in connection with the alleged "double-meaning" remark case, was released on station bail after around an hour of questioning at the Sengipatti Police Station near Thanjavur. He walked out to a rousing welcome from hundreds of DMK workers gathered outside the police station, capping a day of high political drama that saw police abruptly reroute his convoy after a massive crowd assembled at the Thanjavur South Police Station. Read Full Story Udhayanidhi, who was arrested from his Chennai residence at around 11 am, was released nearly nine hours later, in line with the Tamil Nadu government's assurance before the Madras High Court that he would be freed after questioning. What was expected to be a routine police questioning of Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin turned into a day of high political drama on Tuesday, with his convoy taking an unexpected detour, thousands of DMK workers chasing it, and a tense standoff outside a police station nearly 21 km away from its original destination.
After arresting Udhayanidhi from his Chennai residence over his alleged "double-meaning" remark during a Cauvery protest, the Thanjavur police initially began transporting him to the Thanjavur South Police Station for questioning, as indicated during proceedings before the Madras High Court. However, the plan changed midway. As the convoy approached Thanjavur, police found the area around the Thanjavur South Police Station packed with DMK workers waving party flags and shouting slogans against the TVK government. With security personnel struggling to manage the swelling crowd, the convoy made a sudden U-turn and headed to the Sengipatti Police Station, around 21 km away, in an apparent bid to avoid confrontation. The unexpected diversion triggered confusion among party workers, many of whom rushed towards Sengipatti after learning of the route change. The drama did not end there. According to sources, Udhayanidhi initially refused to step out of the police vehicle, arguing that Sengipatti was not the police station mentioned before the High Court during the hearing on his arrest.
The standoff lasted briefly before the DMK leader eventually stepped out of the police van, waving to cheering party workers gathered outside the Sengipatti Police Station. Visuals from the spot showed hundreds of DMK cadres assembled outside the station, raising slogans in support of Udhayanidhi as senior police officers, including the Inspector General of Police, Central Zone, reached the venue to oversee security arrangements. Even as police shifted the venue, elaborate security arrangements remained in place in Thanjavur town and around the Thanjavur South Police Station, where authorities had initially expected to question the DMK leader. Police had assured the Madras High Court earlier in the day that Udhayanidhi would be questioned and released on station bail. ARREST OVER TRISHA REMARK Udhayanidhi was arrested on Tuesday morning from his Neelankarai residence in Chennai over an alleged "double-meaning" remark made during a DMK protest on the Cauvery issue in Thanjavur on Monday. He has been booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges relating to the use of obscene words, insulting the modesty of a woman, promoting enmity, provoking riots and criminal intimidation.
The BriefWire