Tensions flared across Tamil Nadu on Tuesday after Thanjavur (East) police took DMK MLA and Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin into custody from his residence in Neelankarai, Chennai. The arrest, over remarks he made against actor Trisha Krishnan, has triggered widespread unrest among DMK supporters, leading to violent protests.
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Police Action and Charges
Stalin was escorted to Thanjavur for questioning regarding an FIR registered over a public address he delivered during a Cauvery water protest. He has been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 61, 79, 192, 196, 296(b), 351(2), and 352, alongside Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act and Section 67 of the IT Act.
Widespread Agitation
The detention sparked intense backlash from DMK cadres. Agitating party workers staged demonstrations against law enforcement, burning effigies and hurling footwear at police personnel with videos of the chaotic protests circulating online.
#WATCH | Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu | DMK workers throw slippers at police, burn an effigy in protest against police detention of LoP Udhayanidhi Stalin under nine sections, including allegations that he insulted the modesty of a woman, following an FIR against him over his alleged… pic.twitter.com/wx5GVOLiyY
— ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2026
Fake News Allegations
Speaking to reporters following his detention, Stalin dismissed the police action as a "comedy" and accused political opponents of fabricating a false narrative.
"They have propagated fake news by using 'cut, copy, paste' to claim I said something I never said," Stalin stated. "I am not the kind of person to be intimidated by all this. I will face it legally."
Source of the Controversy
The row stems from an incident at Monday's rally where some people from the crowd interrupted Stalin's speech with chants of "Trisha, Trisha," referring to the actor.
Pausing briefly, Stalin remarked, "Whether the water reaches anywhere else or not, it should reach there," before clarifying on the spot that his statement pertained strictly to Cauvery water allocation.
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