28 booked for disrupting polling in Manapparai

Trichy: Police have registered cases against 28 people in connection with the disruption of voting at a polling station in Manapparai on April 23 after they held a protest in Vellayakonepatti alleging police lathi-charge. They have been booked on multiple charges, including unlawful assembly, road blockade, distribution of liquor, and voter intimidation.According to Valanadu police, a group of people halted voting at polling station 225, condemning an alleged baton-charge carried out by police. The protest was later called off following negotiations and polling resumed. Police have registered a case under sections 189(2), 126(2), 351(2) of BNS and 4(1)(C) of Tamil Nadu prohibition amendment act (2024) against the 28 people.The FIR said that a crowd distributed liquor to voters within the prohibited 200-metre radius of the polling station. It said when police detained some individuals and took them to the station, a group carried out a road blockade in protest. Despite being warned and released, they regrouped and resumed the blockade, during which they threatened members of the public and obstructed voters from exercising their right, police added.