TN BJP chief Annamalai whips himself in protest against DMK govt

Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai intensified his campaign to oust the DMK government by staging an unusual protest outside his residence in Coimbatore on Friday.

As announced the day before, Annamalai whipped himself in a bizarre demonstration. The footage shows him carrying out the act outside his home, with party members quickly rushing to intervene after a few strikes.

The protest was sparked by the alleged sexual assault of a female student at Anna University in Chennai. In response, Annamalai had vowed not to wear footwear until the DMK is removed from power and declared a 48-day fast. He also indicated plans to organize similar protests at the residences of BJP members across the state.

Meanwhile, Tamilisai Soundararajan, who led the BJP's protest, was detained by the police. She condemned the government's attempt to suppress their voice. A case has been registered against 417 people, including Tamilisai, for their involvement in the protests. The protests were sparked by the assault of a second-year Anna University student, with one arrest made in connection to the case. AIADMK workers were also detained during their own protests.