An elderly woman died after collapsing at a protest organised by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Coimbatore district, triggering sharp criticism from opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The incident occurred near Ottarpaalayam in the Annur area of Coimbatore district during a DMK-led protest against amendments introduced by the Union government to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The protest was organised by the Coimbatore South DMK unit under the arrangements of Annur North Union DMK secretary Palanisamy.
According to reports, thousands of people participated in the demonstration. Several elderly persons, women, and daily wage workers from surrounding areas were brought to the protest venue in vehicles. Among them was Ponnammal, a 75-year-old woman from the Mel Kinaru area, who worked as a daily wage labourer.
Eyewitness accounts stated that Ponnammal had been standing for a prolonged period under the scorching sun during the protest, following which she developed health complications and fainted while the demonstration was still underway. She was immediately taken by those present to a private hospital near Annur, where doctors declared her dead after examination.
The incident has led to allegations that elderly persons were forcibly brought to the protest and made to stand in extreme heat, directly contributing to the woman’s death. Opposition parties, including the BJP and the AIADMK, along with members of the public, have blamed the DMK for negligence and coercion.
Reacting to the incident, BJP leader Annamalai expressed shock and anger over the woman’s death. In a post on X, he alleged that the DMK had brought the elderly woman to the protest and made her stand in the heat, leading to her death. He further claimed that it was a common practice of DMK functionaries to threaten beneficiaries of the 100-day employment scheme by warning them that wages would be withheld if they did not attend party protests.
Annamalai accused the DMK of engaging in “anarchic politics” and sacrificing the lives of poor and vulnerable people for political gain. He asserted that Tamil Nadu would never forgive such actions carried out for electoral theatrics. He also demanded strict legal action against Palanisamy, the Annur North Union DMK secretary, and others responsible for allegedly subjecting elderly persons to inhuman treatment that resulted in the loss of life.
கோவை மாவட்டம் அன்னூர் பகுதியில், திமுக கட்சி ஆர்ப்பாட்டத்திற்காக, 75 வயது பொன்னம்மாள் என்ற வயது முதிர்ந்த மூதாட்டியை அழைத்து வந்து, கொளுத்தும் வெயிலில் நிற்க வைத்து, அவரது உயிரிழப்பிற்கு காரணமான சம்பவம் மிகுந்த அதிர்ச்சியும் கோபமும் அளிக்கிறது.
திமுக ஆர்ப்பாட்டத்துக்கு… pic.twitter.com/E6Z4jHYSYf
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 24, 2025
The protest itself was part of a statewide agitation by the DMK and its alliance partners against the Union government’s decision to amend the MGNREGS. The Centre has renamed the scheme, removed Mahatma Gandhi’s name, and increased the guaranteed workdays from 100 to 125, a move that has drawn strong opposition from opposition parties. The DMK and its allies have accused the BJP-led Union government of pursuing politics of hatred by removing Gandhi’s name from the scheme.
Despite the serious allegations and the fatal incident, DMK officials have so far not issued any official statement or clarification regarding the death of Ponnammal.
Source: One India Tamil & Hindu Tamil
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