Chennai Politicians Arrested for Harassment
A DMK Councillor and an AIADMK functionary in Chennai were arrested for allegedly sexually harassing an air hostess. The incident has brought renewed attention to issues of women's safety in the city.
The arrested DMK member is Prabakaran, the Councillor for Ward 6 in Thiruvallur Municipality, and the AIADMK functionary is Thiyagu, a 40-year-old advocate. The incident occurred on an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Delhi on February 25, 2026. Police arrested the duo on March 2 after they failed to appear for questioning on March 1. According to the 25-year-old flight attendant's complaint, the two men were allegedly intoxicated, refused to stay seated, and repeatedly asked her personal questions. When she stated she was from Madurai, they reportedly mocked her. The complaint further alleges that the situation escalated when they misbehaved with her as she was performing her duties, leaving her feeling shocked and distressed. The case has been registered by the Meenambakkam All Women Police Station under sections of the law related to crimes against women and the Aviation Safety Act. Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage from the aircraft and collecting statements from other crew members and passengers as part of the investigation. Both men were remanded to judicial custody at Puzhal jail. This incident adds to the ongoing debate about women's safety in Chennai. A 2025 national report ranked Chennai 21st out of 31 Indian cities for women's safety, with a score below the national average. However, other data from the National Crime Records Bureau has previously ranked Chennai as the second safest city in the country, and studies in 2023 and 2024 named it a top city for working women. The arrests have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, who highlighted this as another instance of misconduct by DMK members. Former BJP state president K. Annamalai and the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party have publicly questioned the conduct of elected officials in the ruling party. As of now, the DMK has not issued an official statement regarding the arrest of its councillor. The legal framework for such offenses in the state is the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act. Originally passed in 1998, the act was recently amended in 2025 to broaden the definition of harassment to include physical, verbal, digital, and electronic conduct and to increase penalties for offenders.
