FIR Against BJP’s Annamalai Over ‘Threat’ to DMK’s Senthil Balaji

Annamalai allegedly threatened Balaji, stating that Balaji’s “teeth will break if the ex-IPS officer thrashes him”.

An FIR was registered against BJP’s Aravakurichi candidate Annamalai on Friday, 2 April, for his recent speech against DMK’s Karur candidate Senthil Balaji, who is a former state minister.

The case has been registered at the Aravakurichi police station in Karur. At a recent election campaign, Annamalai allegedly threatened Senthil Balaji, stating that the DMK leader’s teeth will break if the ex-IPS officer thrashes him.

Based on his speech, a complaint was reportedly filed by the DMK with the police and an FIR was registered under sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and Section 66 of the Information Technology Act.

In his speech, Annamalai had said, “How many frauds I have seen. If I put a hand on you, you will change tune and say I am doing violence. I have a message for the DMK here. I’m not ready to indulge in violence. I am contesting politics in a non-violent way.”

Then referring to his tenure as an IPS officer in Karnataka, Annamalai said, “But I have another face. It is my Karnataka face. I don't think I have to show it. Take the video, submit it to the Election Commission. I am not scared of all this.” He then went on to say he was not ready to resort to violence and that he was doing politics in a non-violent manner.

DMK Slams Annamalai

Annamalai’s speech caused outrage in the DMK with MP Kanimozhi hitting back at Annamalai, daring him to touch the party’s members. “Annamalai has said he doesn’t want to show his Karnataka face here. He has threatened to beat Senthil Balaji. I dare you to touch a DMK cadre. No one can threaten us. If you do, we shall stand up against you and you won’t be able to bear that,” she said, while campaigning for DMK’s Bodinayakannur candidate Thanga Tamilselvan.

Annamalai is contesting against DMK’s R Elango in Aravakurichi. Balaji, a former state minister in Jayalalithaa’s government, is a heavyweight in Karur. He joined the AMMK after he was disqualified by the AIADMK for siding with the TTV Dhinakaran faction. He later switched over to the DMK in December 2018.

A former IPS officer, Annamalai worked as the Assistant Superintendent of Police at Karkala, Udupi, and then went on to become the SP of the district in 2015. He was given the moniker of ‘Singham’ of Udupi for his work. He was transferred in 2016 and posted as the SP of Chikkamagaluru district before he quit service in 2019. He joined the BJP in August 2020.

(The story has been published in an arangement with The News Minute.)