Chennai: Woman barges into minister's press meet, alleges harassment by police

Chennai: A young woman from Bengaluru caused a flutter when she barged into a press meet addressed by a Tamil Nadu Minister, alleging harassment by the police at the city's main mofussil bus terminus and sought action against them.

Shortly after Transport Minister M R Vijayabhaskar began his press meet at the terminus, which was telecast live by some TV channels, the woman, claiming herself to be a research scholar, entered the venue and started yelling out in English, taking the gathering by surprise.

"A single woman has no freedom to travel... Four police personnel, including two women, tortured me at Koyambedu bus stand," she alleged and gave a written complaint to an official who accompanied the Minister.

Vijayabhaskar, flanked by officials, repeatedly assured her that action would be taken and tried to pacify her before leaving the venue.

The Minister was interacting with the media after inaugurating special ticket booking counters to meet the rush for the upcoming Pongal festival.

"I had severe migraine, vomiting, giddiness throughout the night. I just wanted to take 10 minutes rest as I could not walk and lay down (at the bus terminus)," she told reporters even as women police personnel tried to surround and take her in for questioning.

The woman alleged that she was beaten by policemen with batons and asked why she was lying down there.

Identifying herself as Annapoorna from Bengaluru, she alleged that she was "harassed" in the name of "public safety" by the personnel.

She also said the personnel asked her to either leave for her onward destination or come to the police station for an enquiry.

Police said the woman went to a nearby police station for further follow up action.