AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday hit out at the ruling DMK over allegations that the party’s youth wing office bearer attempted to sexually exploit a college-going girl in Ranipet district’s Arakkonam area.

In a post on social media, Palaniswami claimed the police registered an FIR only after the girl approached AIADMK’s Arakkonam MLA S Ravi for help.

Palaniswami further alleged that the DMK functionary also tried to “make the young woman available for sexual exploitation” by ruling party figures.

Drawing a parallel with the Pollachi sexual assault case, in which the accused was allegedly linked to AIADMK, Palaniswami said, “Do you know the difference between the Pollachi case and this case? I honestly transferred the Pollachi case to the CBI for probe. However, you (DMK regime) are doing everything to dilute the Arakkonam case.”

He questioned whether the state government would take action against the DMK functionary, whom he accused of attempting to sexually harass the 20-year-old woman. If not, the AIADMK chief warned that his party would launch massive protests with public support.

Last week, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that justice will soon be delivered in the Kodanad murder and robbery case, following the verdict in the Pollachi sexual abuse case.

Stalin recalled that even before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he had assured that perpetrators of the Pollachi crime would be brought to book, a promise he says has now been fulfilled.