Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition and DMK youth wing leader Udhayanidhi Stalin was on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) arrested by police following a complaint registered by a ruling TVK functionary accusing him of making misogynist remarks at a public meeting in Thanjavur a day earlier.

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Based on the complaint, the Thanjavur East Police filed a case against the DMK leader under seven sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita including promoting enmity between groups based on religion, race, language, caste, or community (Sec 196); wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot (192); intentional insults aimed at provoking a person to disturb public peace (352); word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman (79); uttering obscene songs, ballads, or words in or near any public place [296(b)]; criminal conspiracy (61); and criminal intimidation [351(2)]. Besides he was booked under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Harassment of Women Act and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.

Earlier, when the police arrived at Mr. Udhayanidhi’s residence, his wife Kiruthiga and former Minister Ma Subramanian were engaged in an argument with a senior police officer. Mr. Subramanian was heard saying the DMK leader must be given time to refresh himself before he was taken to Thanjavur.

Several senior leaders including party general Duraimurugan, former Ministers K.N. Nehru and P.K. Sekarbabu and Mr. Udhayanidhi’s brother-in-law Sabarisan along with party lawyers also arrived at his house to lend solidarity. They were heard telling the police since the Madras High Court had agreed to urgently hear Mr. Udhayanidhi’s anticipatory bail petition and the judge had orally directed the police not to take coercive action, they must abide by it. However, a senior police officer told them he had not received any such instructions from the government counsel.

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Subsequently, Mr Udhayanidhi was taken to a police van waiting outside the house. The DMK men who gathered in large numbers outside the premises of Mr. Udhayanidhi’s house opposed the arrest and attempted to stop the police from taking him away. The DMK cadres also squatted on the road blocking the police vehicle. Thereafter, the police cleared the road using mild force and proceeded on ECR towards Thanjavur.