Scenes from Kattayantheru area in Marakkanam, the riot hit area, following the clash between the volunteers of Vanniar Sangam and Dalits, near Puducherry on April 26, 2013
| Photo Credit: T. Singaravelou
In the summer of 2013, violence broke out at Marakkanam near Chennai when some Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) cadres clashed with residents of a Scheduled Caste hamlet while returning, past midnight, from the Vanniyar Sangam’s Chitra Pournami festival held in Mamallapuram.
The police had to open fire in the air. Houses were set on fire and in the days following the violence, the police arrested PMK founder S Ramadoss, its then president G..K Mani, Vanniyar Sangam leader ‘Kaduvetti’ Guru and former Union Minister Anbumani. This had triggered further violence for several days in many parts of Tamil Nadu.
When the issue was raised in the Legislative Assembly, then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said the Marakkanam-type incidents took place because the High Court granted permissions to hold rallies, conferences and festivals with some conditions, “without taking into account the background and antecedents of the organisations seeking permission.” She lamented that when police denied permission, the organisers would approach the court with an undertaking to adhere to police instructions.
“The court also accepted their undertakings and granted permission without understanding the background of the organisers and past events. The organisers do not abide by their undertaking and it results in Marakkanam-type incidents,” Jayalalithaa said.
She also pointed out that whenever political parties or caste outfits indulged in a show of strength, the crowd would defy the police. “It is a great challenge to the police to control crowds that refuse to pay money for what they eat in roadside eateries and damage flag posts and memorials of other organisations and parties,” Jayalalithaa said.
Holding the PMK and Vanniyar Sangam responsible for the April 25 violence, she said the organisers of the Chitra Pournami festival had violated all undertakings given to the police. While the organisers were told to end the meeting by 10 p.m., Mr Ramadoss addressed the gathering at 11.30 p.m. “He declared that he has started at 11.30 (p.m.) and dared the police to file a case against him. His request has been accepted and we have filed a case. I hope he will be ready to face the punishment,” Jayalalithaa told the Assembly in her own style.
A fortnight later, when violence continued in many places even after Mr. Ramadoss was released from prison on bail, Jayalalithaa declared the government would not hesitate to ban any political party that indulged in violence, created a law and order problem, damaged public property and disturbed peace. Besides, the Chief Minister said the government will take steps to recover from the PMK the cost of the damage to public property under the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act, 1992.
“The government would calculate the damage and take steps to recover the amount from the PMK,” she said while replying to a special mention made by the Opposition on the violent incidents in northern districts, according to a report in The Hindu.
Jayalalithaa said public property worth crores of rupees had been destroyed in the violence unleashed by the PMK men. Giving a break-up in the House, she said, 16 vehicles, including 14 buses, were burnt and a driver died of burn injuries. A driver and a passenger were killed in stone-throwing incidents and more were injured. A total of 853 vehicles were damaged. Moreover, 120 trees were felled and another 45 trees were burnt. This is what had led to the arrest of the PMK leaders and also the detention of Guru under the National Security Act.
However, following his release on bail, in an interview with The Hindu, Mr. Ramadoss, dismissed as “wishful thinking” Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s warning that the State government would not hesitate to ban any political party that indulged in violence and caused damage to the public property.
“Only the Election Commission has the power to take action against a political party and the State government cannot arrogate that power to itself. We are a recognised political party with an official flag and symbol. We were part of the Central government and held portfolios in the Union Cabinet. Now we have elected members in the State Assembly,” he said before undergoing an angiogram at a private hospital in Chennai. He claimed the Jayalalithaa government was bent upon crippling the PMK by arresting its senior functionaries before the [2014] Lok Sabha polls.
In April 2022, the Second Additional District Court in Tindivanam acquitted all 20 accused arrested in connection with Marakkanam violence case for lack of evidence.
Published – October 08, 2025 05:00 am IST
