Trichy: A campaign rally for the AIADMK in Trichy erupted in controversy on Sunday night after party volunteers who were waiting in large numbers ended up gheraoing an ambulance as it attempted to pass by and even tried to physically assault the driver. The act that has been widely condemned as inhumane and sparked a fierce political debate. The incident occurred during Opposition Leader Edappadi Palaniswami’s state-wide “Save the People, Save Tamil Nadu” tour, casting a shadow over the party’s electoral preparations.
The event took place in the Mannachanallur area, where preparations were underway for a speech by the AIADMK General Secretary. Before his arrival, an ambulance approached the venue, which was crowded with party volunteers. The volunteers stopped the vehicle and, upon inspection, found no patient inside. Alleging that it was a deliberate attempt to disrupt their meeting, they forced the ambulance to leave. However, subsequent reports claimed the ambulance was, in fact, responding to an emergency call to assist a person involved in an accident. This revelation caused a significant commotion at the scene, though it was confirmed that Edappadi Palaniswami was not present at the time of the incident.
எதிர்க்கட்சித் தலைவர் (#AIADMK) #EdappadiPalaniswami அவர்களின் பிரச்சாரத்தில் ஒரு தனியார் #Ambulance கூட வந்து நான் பார்க்கவில்லை. அத்தனையும் அரசு 108 Ambulance. ஒரு பிரச்சார பொதுக்கூட்டம் நடக்கும் போது, அப்பகுதியில் போக்குவரத்து மாற்றம் செய்யப்படுவது இயல்பான அரசு நடைமுறை. அந்த… pic.twitter.com/gS3928TnPO
— Harish M (@chnmharish) August 24, 2025
A Pattern of Disruption or an Inhumane Act?
The incident cannot be viewed in isolation, as it follows explicit instructions given by Edappadi Palaniswami himself in earlier speeches. On the campaign trail, EPS had alleged a conspiracy by the ruling DMK government to sabotage his party’s meetings. He claimed that unoccupied ambulances were being deliberately sent to over 30 of his rallies to create disruptions. In a speech, he had instructed his volunteers, “Note the ambulance number… Note who the ambulance driver is…. If an empty ambulance comes, the person driving the vehicle will become the patient and will have to be taken to the hospital,” he warned. This narrative framed the volunteers’ actions in Trichy as a defensive measure based on prior suspicion.
In stark contrast, the response from political opponents and critics was one of severe condemnation. Selvaperunthagai, President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, issued a strong statement, calling the act “a very serious and inhumane act.” He added, “Trying to prevent lives that need urgent treatment due to political conflict or narrow-mindedness is questionable for human civilization… Trying to prevent the freedom of an ambulance when human life is in danger is also a crime in law.”
Leadership Reactions and Escalating Tensions
The political fallout escalated with the reaction from the state’s Health Minister, Ma Subramanian of the DMK. He directly criticized Edappadi Palaniswami’s preemptive comments, accusing him of threatening essential medical staff. “He is speaking in a threatening tone to the doctors… It is an indecent act for a former chief minister to speak in such a threatening tone,” Subramanian stated.
The incident has intensified the already bitter political rivalry in Tamil Nadu as the state gears up for next year’s assembly elections.