The Tamil Nadu Police declined Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) permission to hold a public meeting in Erode on December 16, Tuesday. The request was filed after former minister K A Sengottaiyan, who recently joined the party, submitted a petition on Sunday, sources in the department said.
Erode is the home turf of Sengottaiyan, a nine-time MLA and former minister, who joined the actor-politician Vijay's TVK after being expelled from AIADMK. The former minister also submitted a petition to the District Collector S Kandasamy seeking permission for the meeting. Later, he submitted a copy of the petition to the officials in the District Police Office.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "The TVK chief will visit Erode on December 16 and address a public meeting in a private land near a marriage hall."
A Sujatha, Superintendent of Police, inspected the seven-acre site in the Pavalathampalayam area on Erode-Perundurai Road where TVK wanted to hold the meeting, news agency PTI said.
Later, police officials told the media that TVK's petition stated that they expected a 70-thousand strong crowd. The site proposed by them is quite inadequate to accommodate that many people and their vehicles, and hence permission was declined, they added.
The officials also said that the decision was communicated to Sengottaiyan, and he was asked to choose a different spot.
TVK draws crowds
As many as 41 people died during actor and TVK leader Vijay's rally in Karur on September 27. Over 50 people suffered injuries in the incident. The deceased include 10 children and over 15 women. The Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe on October 13, hearing a plea moved by TVK, demanding an independent probe. The CBI has so far summoned over 300 people in connection with the probe into the stampede.
Political observers blamed poor crowd management by the TVK for the tragedy, while the Opposition targeted the ruling DMK for not providing necessary security for the event.
