COIMBATORE: A day after a woman functionary of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) alleged that she was assaulted by party cadres during Sulur MLA NM Sukumar's thanksgiving visit in Coimbatore, the MLA on Thursday denied the allegations, stating that no one who accompanied him attacked her.
The incident occurred on Wednesday night when Sukumar visited Neelambur, Arasur and Kaniyur to thank the public following his election victory.
During the event in Kaniyur, an argument and a scuffle reportedly broke out between two groups of TVK cadres over internal party issues.
Following the incident, the functionary, Vasanthi, alleged that persons accompanying the MLA assaulted her and tore her clothes. She was admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.
She claimed that she was a TVK cadre for two years and worked for Sukumar to win the election. She was denied permission to participate in the event, was pushed out and assaulted. She alleged that another team accompanying the MLA stopped her and her team.
Addressing reporters on Thursday, Sukumar said he came to know about the incident only after travelling five kilometres away from Kaniyur. He said he later learnt that party members had gone to the police station, following which he too visited the station during the night. "The injured woman is our party member. I spoke to her, and she has since been discharged," he said.
Refuting the allegation against his supporters, Sukumar said, "No one who accompanied me pushed or attacked her. She appears to have mistakenly assumed that those travelling with me were responsible. The person who accidentally assaulted her was someone who had come along with her".
He further denied any serious internal rift within the party, saying only minor differences of opinion existed among cadres.