Tue Oct 07 23:30:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the 2013 Marakkanam violence, drawing from The Hindu’s reporting:

**The Hindu Flashback: Marakkanam Violence Still Echoes in Tamil Nadu Politics**

**Chennai, October 8, 2025** – A 2013 clash between Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) cadres and Dalit residents in Marakkanam, near Chennai, continues to reverberate through Tamil Nadu politics. The violence, which erupted after the Vanniyar Sangam’s Chitra Pournami festival, saw houses set ablaze and police opening fire to control the situation.

The incident led to the arrest of prominent PMK leaders, including founder S. Ramadoss and then-president G.K. Mani, triggering further unrest across the state. Then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa strongly condemned the violence, blaming the High Court for granting permissions for rallies without considering the organizers’ history. She accused the PMK of violating agreements with police and causing extensive damage to public property, estimated in the crores of rupees. This included the destruction of vehicles (including buses burned with fatalities), trees, and other infrastructure. Jayalalithaa threatened to ban political parties engaging in violence and vowed to recover the cost of damages from the PMK.

Ramadoss, upon his release, dismissed the ban threat as “wishful thinking,” asserting that only the Election Commission could take such action. He claimed the government was unfairly targeting the PMK before the 2014 elections.

Despite the initial arrests and strong condemnation, in April 2022, the Second Additional District Court in Tindivanam acquitted all 20 accused in connection with the Marakkanam violence case due to lack of evidence. This acquittal brought renewed attention to the incident and its unresolved questions about accountability and justice. The events of 2013 continue to serve as a stark reminder of the complexities and tensions surrounding caste and political mobilization in Tamil Nadu.

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