Vanathi attacked in Coimbatore

The incident took place when Vanathi Srinivasan was getting into her car after attending a funeral, police said. 

A gang armed with sickles and iron rods attacked her and she sustained injuries on her hand though BJP workers accompanying Vanathi tried to protect her. The window panes of the car were also damaged. The miscreants fled the scene after the incident. 

Vanathi blamed the police for remaining “mute spectators” during the attack and said she would lodge complaints with the District Collector and City Police Commissioner. “AIADMK is afraid of sure defeat in the constituency and was indulging in such activities to scare the rival candidates and voters,” she said. 

Meanwhile in Perambalur, police registered case against nine persons, including former Union Minister A Raja, DMK candidate P Sivakami and MP RP Marudhairaja and an MLA in connection with a clash between DMK and AIADMK during campaigning on Saturday. 

Sources said while AIADMK and DMK candidates were campaigning on Saturday evening in Perambalur, a few miscreants had reportedly pelted stones at Marudairaja and Perambalur candidate R Tamil Selvan, which was retaliated by AIADMK men. 

A few cadre suffered injuries. Following a complaint from AIADMK town secretary R Rajaboopathy on Saturday night, Perambalur police registered a case against Raja, Sivakami, and Annadurai on Sunday.