Slipper row: 3 from BJP women's wing arrested

CHENNAI: Three women from the BJP women's wing were arrested this morning by the special police as a development in the incident of BJP cadres throwing a footwear on Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga

Rajan's car.

The 3 arrested women namely Saranya, Dhanalakshmi and Dheivanai will be produced in the court and will be imprisoned.

Earlier, seven men, including the BJP district vice president, had already been arrested in connection with the incident. Kumar, Bala, Gopinath, Jayakrishnan, Gopinath, Mohammad Yakub and Jayavel have been remanded in Madurai Central Jail for 15 days.

With this, the number of people arrested so far in the incident is 10.

Finance minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, representing the DMK, visited Madurai to pay his last respects to the slain Rifleman Lakshmanan. It so happened that while the Minister's convoy arrived, TN BJP chief Annamalai was stopped from paying respects. One of the irate BJP cadres threw a slipper at the minister's car creating a ruckus.

The BJP cadres were supporters of Dr Saravanan, who later visited the minister to apologise for the actions. Upset over the incident, Saravanan decided to quit the BJP.

Annamalai commenting on this issue said, "BJP is a peace-loving party, however the minister's (PTR) jibe at our cadres is unacceptable. Madurai people can never tolerate insults.” He also wished Saravanan luck on his political journey.