A group of food stall owners in Chennai has levelled serious allegations against a local DMK functionary, claiming they collectively paid nearly ₹34 lakh over a period of 18 months after being promised official “Food Street” licences, only to be evicted following the change in government.
The vendors, who had been operating food stalls in an area near Bilal Street off Mount Road, alleged that they were induced to set up shops on temple land after being assured that the arrangement would eventually be regularised.
According to the vendors, the initiative was introduced during the previous DMK government by Prabhakaran, whom they identified as the then 63rd Ward Secretary of the DMK.
“He told us to set up shops there. He said the place would be converted into a Food Street and that he would obtain the necessary Food Street licences for us. He assured us that the land was that of a temple and he will get everything set up for us,” one of the vendors alleged.
Alleged Monthly Collection of ₹24,000 Per Stall
The vendors claimed that eight food stalls were permitted to operate, with each stall allegedly paying ₹24,000 every month.
According to them, the monthly collection amounted to nearly ₹2 lakh. Over 18 months, they estimate that the total payments made by the eight vendors reached approximately ₹34 lakh.
“We paid around ₹24,000 every month for each shop. There were eight shops. Over 18 months, all of us together paid nearly ₹34 lakh,” one vendor claimed.
The vendors further alleged that the money was not collected directly by Prabhakaran but through another individual who allegedly managed the entire operation.
‘We Were Promised Licences’
The vendors alleged that the recurring payments were justified on the assurance that official Food Street licences would eventually be obtained for them.
“He kept telling us, ‘Your money will be spent on the temple and the people of the locality. I will get Food Street licences for you. Just run your businesses properly.’ We trusted him and continued operating for 18 months,” one vendor said.
However, they claim that despite paying the money for over a year and a half, no licences were ever issued.
“When we asked where the Food Street licence was after paying ₹34 lakh, we were simply told there was no such thing,” another vendor alleged.
Vendors Claim They Were Abandoned After Regime Change
According to the vendors, the situation changed after the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. They alleged, “It seems he had secured the rights to the shop premises through the temple administration though I’m not sure if he was even paying the rent regularly. He told us, “I’m going to use the money I collect from you for the temple and the local community; I’m doing this for the greater good. I’ll get you the ‘Food Street’ license, so just make sure you run your operations properly.”
They alleged that a person identified as “Anu Malik”, whom they described as belonging to the Chennai Rawther Biriyani group and who allegedly managed the collection of payments, warned them that they should leave the location.
“He called us and said these people wouldn’t be able to help anymore. He advised us to move somewhere else if we wanted to stay safe,” one vendor alleged.
The vendors said they approached Prabhakaran and his son, Naveen, several times seeking clarification.
“We explained the entire issue to both of them. Every time they said, ‘I’ll take care of it.’ But within three days our shops were removed,” one vendor claimed.
‘Shops Removed Without Notice’
The vendors alleged that their stalls were demolished without any prior warning.
“No one explained what the problem was. Suddenly our shops were removed, electricity connections were disconnected and nobody answered our calls properly,” one of them said.
They further claimed that when they questioned what had happened to the money collected in the name of obtaining licences, they were allegedly told, “The government has changed. Go and deal with it yourself.”
Allegations of Intimidation
The vendors also alleged that they faced intimidation while attempting to continue their businesses.
According to them, groups of individuals repeatedly arrived at the site demanding that they remove their shops.
“They threatened us several times, saying, ‘Remove your shop or we won’t let you operate here.'”
Women vendors further alleged that they were verbally abused and intimidated.
“They told us, ‘Why are you standing here? You have nothing to do with this. Leave this place and earn your livelihood somewhere else.’ They even tried to attack us,” one vendor alleged.
The stall owners further claimed that local residents who had previously patronised their businesses suddenly began opposing them without offering any clear reasons.
“I even asked one regular customer why she was now speaking against us. She could not give any valid reason,” one vendor said, alleging that the opposition appeared to have been organised.
‘Everything Appears Planned’
Several vendors alleged that the protests against them did not appear spontaneous.
“We could clearly see people calling others over to gather against us while we were standing there. It all looked planned,” one vendor alleged.
They further claimed that emergency access had never been obstructed by their businesses and that they had always ensured vehicles, including water supply vehicles, could pass through the street.
Police Complaint Yet to Be Filed
The vendors admitted that they had not initially approached the police due to fear of possible repercussions.
“We are ordinary people. We were afraid that if we filed a complaint against politically influential persons, something might happen to us,” one vendor said.
However, they stated that they are now preparing to formally lodge a complaint with the police seeking action over the alleged collection of money and the subsequent eviction.
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