Bharatiya Janata Party’s Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai was booked on Monday, April 22, for allegedly posting false information on his social media platform regarding the death of a 45-year-old woman from Pakkirimaniyam village in Cuddalore district. While Annamalai’s social media post says the woman was murdered as she did not vote for DMK in the Lok Sabha elections, police officials said she was killed due to a family dispute.

Annamalai's social media post on April 21 said that a group of DMK people murdered the woman and attacked her family members for not voting for the DMK-led alliance in the recent Lok Sabha elections at Pakkirimaniyam village under Srimushnam police station limits.

According to the district police, there was a pre-existing enmity between two families in the village, which led to a quarrel on April 19. During the altercation, Kalaimani and his relatives assaulted Jayasankar and his sister-in-law J Gomathi. Gomathi sustained internal injuries  due to the attack and was declared dead upon arrival at a primary health centre in Andimadam.

The police have registered a case against Annamalai under Sections 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code. Three others were also booked earlier for spreading false information about the woman's death on social media platforms.

The Cuddalore police have charged 10 individuals with murder and have arrested five of them, including Kalaimani and his wife K Deepa. Efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects who are absconding.