Violence, arson in Tamil Nadu following Jayalalithaa's conviction

CHENNAI: Stone-pelting and torching of public property, attacks on mediapersons and forceful closure of shops erupted across Tamil Nadu today as mobs reacted to the sentencing of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to four years imprisonment by a special court in Bangalore in a graft case.

It all began with burning of effigies of senior DMK leaders, including party chief M Karunanidhi, and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy when the conviction was announced and violence rocked the state after the court sentenced Jayalalithaa to four years in jail and slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore.

Some hours after the conviction was announced, most of the private and public vehicles went off the roads in Chennai, leaving students and office-goers stranded. Crowds then forced shops to down shutters.

Protesters went on the rampage in many parts of the state damaging shops.

Mediapersons of TV channels were attacked near Poes Garden, Jayalalithaa's residence, while their cameras were damaged, police said.

Several people were injured in violence in various parts of the state in which many vehicles including public and private buses were damaged, reports reaching the state headquarters suggested.

As the news of the conviction spread, AIADMK cadres' became despondent and women activists were seen wailing.

Sensing trouble, DMK sought extra protection to the party office and some of its leaders, including its General Secretary K Anbazhagan who had impleaded in the wealth case filed against Jayalalithaa and on whose petition the trial was shifted from Tamil Nadu to Karnataka by the Supreme Court.