CHENNAI: Amid outpouring of grief and distress over the conviction of Chief Minister J Jalayalalthaa, an AIADMK activist committed self-immolation in Virugambakkam on Saturday. Venkatesan (45) of Alwarthirunagar was admitted to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital with over 80% burn injuries. Doctors declared him dead five minutes past midnight. Two other attempts by party workers to set themselves afire - one at Poes Garden and another at Teynampet - were thwarted.
Elsewhere in the city, minor sporadic clashes were reported. AIADMK cadre, who gathered in large number at the party head office, raised slogans against DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and special judge John Michael D’Cunha.
A minor clash was reported outside Karunanidhi’s Gopalapuram residence, but the police prevented it from snowballing. Besides, the house of Subramanian Swamy on Papanasam Sivan Salai was targeted by two groups - one a mix of fishermen welfare associations and the other of AIADMK activists. A Friend of Police, Kumar, was injured in stone pelting there. He was taken to a private hospital for treatment. A few civilians were also injured and admitted to the Government Royapettah Hospital.
A section of partymen also went around the city urging shop owners to down their shutters. Malls and cinema theatres also remained closed. Private companies sent their employees home early fearing outbreak of violence. Most roads wore a deserted look since late afternoon, which was unusual for a weekend. At least 15 incidents of road blockades were reported in various parts of the city, including Egmore, Mylapore, Teynampet and Arumbakkam. A government bus plying between Poonamallee and Kancheepuram was set ablaze in Kancheepuram town. However, the mob ensured that all passengers had alighted.