A video has surfaced on social media showing a group of women screaming in fear inside a car as they are chased and harassed by men in two vehicles. One of the two vehicles sported a flag which bore ensigns similar to that of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party. The incident reportedly happened near Muttukadu on the East Coast Road in Chennai around 2 am on January 25, a day before Republic Day. The viral video has sparked serious discussions on the state of women's safety in Tamil Nadu.
Six people, including a college student, have been arrested in connection to the harassment incident in Chennai. According to a Thanthi TV report, the Kanathur police have also seized two cars, one with a DMK flag, from their possession.
What happened?
The video showed a man running towards the car gesturing to stop the car. This triggered panic among the girls as seen in the video, and the woman in the driver's seat accelerated forward. With that, they went close to the man's car.
After that, the woman took a reverse and drove off. As they thought that they had reached an isolated place, the accused reportedly started chasing them. They blinked their headlights and honked multiple times, as shown in the video. The girls have now registered a complaint at the Kanathur Police Station, who have launched an investigation into the matter. Based on the complaint, a CSR (Community Service Register) entry was initially made, and after an enquiry, it was converted into an FIR under relevant sections of the BNS.
The Tambaram Municipal Police Commissionerate assured action against the culprits and launched an intensive investigation after registering case under sections 126(2) obstruction, 296(b) obscene language, 324(2) causing damage to public property, 351(2) intimidation and the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Atrocities on Women Act.
The local police however said a contrasting statement. It was a hit-and-run, according to the police’s statement. The girls and the guy in the car were drunk and committed a hit-and-run.
Special teams have been formed to trace the men in a car who chased and harassed women in another car on East Coast Road, based on a complaint from a woman resident of Kanathur.
The incident has triggered a political backlash.
In a post on X, BJP leader SG Suryah wrote: "A group of thugs in a car with a DMK flag are chasing women in the middle of the road. CM MK Stalin, who has sold his iron fist for dates, is this the beauty of your regime's law and order maintenance? Can we commit any violence if we have the DMK flag?"
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