THENI: Police opened fire in the air in Andipatti in Theni district on Tuesday after a group of AMMK cadre allegedly tried to prevent flying squad officials from seizing the cash they had stashed in their office. According to the sources, the raiding team, comprising officials of the Election Commission-appointed surveillance squad and the income tax department, seized bundles of cash allegedly meant for distribution among voters.
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When the officials reached the premises, the men closed the doors from inside and prevented the officials’ entry. Soon a large crowd gathered. On information, a police team rushed to the spot and tried to open the door. Soon, an argument broke out between AMMK workers and the officials which resulted in a commotion and police fired four rounds in the air. No one was injured in the firing, a senior official said.
“With the intervention of the SP and Collector, the situation is under control now and the I-T search is going on. There are cash packets with ward numbers and number of voters and amount of money as `300 written on them,” the official said. Four AMMK volunteers were detained in connection with the incident while an undisclosed amount of cash was also reportedly seized.
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