Chennai, Tamilnadu, 18th Feb., 2025

AIADMK members staged a protest in Chennai, demanding an end to sexual crimes against girls and women in Tamil Nadu. The protest comes in the wake of a recent sexual assault case at Anna University, which has sparked widespread outrage and calls for justice.

The protesters demanded swift action against the perpetrators and urged the state government to take concrete steps to ensure women's safety. AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami questioned the identity of the sir referenced by the arrested suspect, intensifying pressure on the state administration.

The ‘attention grabbing’ protest was also to wake up the DMK government from the ‘slumber’ and take stringent action on the perpetrators, AIADMK

national spokesman Kovai Sathiyan said. He criticised the state government over the issue and said even the women in the state police force were

not safe. “Recently, a senior police ofcial was suspended for alleged sexual harassment of a woman police constable, Sathiyan told reporters.

The Anna University sexual assault case has triggered a major political row, with the AIADMK accusing the ruling DMK of failing to ensure women's safety. The case has also sparked conversations on women's safety in Tamil Nadu, with many demanding systemic reforms to prevent such incidents in the future.

The Madras High Court has directed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the incident, and ordered the state government to compensate the survivor with Rs 25 lakh. The court has also instructed Anna University to waive the survivor's fees to ensure her education continues uninterrupted.

Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary