SALEM: In a shocking incident late on Sunday night, former MP K Arjunan was caught on camera assaulting a policeman on duty at a toll plaza on the Salem-Bengaluru National Highway near Karuppur in Salem. In the video of the incident which went viral, the police officer was also seen slapping the former MP.
On Sunday night, the former DMK MP K Arjunan (now in the AIADMK) was returning to his home in Alagapuram in Salem city from his farm in Omalur. When Arjunan tried to cross the Karuppur toll plaza near Salem, city police officials on duty there intercepted his car and asked him to show his identity card.
The former MP then picked up a quarrel with police officials. He abused the cops and even pushed and kicked them. Then the police official also slapped the MP.
The entire incident happened in front of a sizable crowd. Onlookers pacified the MP and police official. Later, the MP left the place in his car.
On Monday, Salem city police registered a case against Arjunan under two sections: 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the IPC.
When contacted, Arjunan said, “The police have edited the video. They stopped a local vehicle unnecessarily. I told them that I am a former MP and former MLA. Despite that, they asked me to step out of the vehicle and answer them. This created the quarrel and a police officer Ramesh started to attack me.”
"I have got a medical certificate and will be lodging a complaint against the police officer who assaulted me," Arjunan added.
Arjunan was an MP from Dharmapuri when he was in the DMK, an MLA from Tharamangalam in Salem district when he was in the AIADMK (J) and an MLA from Veerapandi when he was in the AIADMK.
Salem City Police Commissioner T Senthilkumar was not available for comment.