Udhayanidhi Stalin Detained Over 'Trisha' Chant Remark At Cauvery Protest

High drama unfolded in Chennai on Tuesday morning as the Tamil Nadu Police arrested Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin from his home over remarks against actor Trisha.

High drama unfolded in Chennai on Tuesday morning as the Tamil Nadu Police arrested Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin from his home in Neelankarai in connection with a case registered against him for allegedly objectionable remarks made against actor Trisha and CM Vijay during a rally on the Cauvery water dispute in Thanjavur.

A police team led by Joint Commissioner of Police Dr P Vijayakumar took Udhayanidhi into custody from his residence and escorted him in a police vehicle. He will be taken to Thanjavur, where the FIR was registered in connection with his speech.

#WATCH | DMK leader and LoP Udhayanidhi Stalin detained by Police from his Chennai residence, following an FIR against him over his alleged defamatory remarks against actor Trisha and CM Vijay. Slogans directed at actor Trisha were raised at his rally yesterday. pic.twitter.com/JUk7cpaTdG

— ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2026

The rally took a controversial turn when someone in the crowd shouted, "Trisha, Trisha." Pausing his speech, Udhayanidhi allegedly remarked, "Whether the water reaches anywhere else or not, it should reach there," before adding that he was referring to the Cauvery water.

At what was projected as a farmers protest, Udhayanidhi Stalin made an unnecessary, vulgar and double meaning comment about actress Trisha in front of thousands of men. pic.twitter.com/EvqkGrHKie

— Actor Vijay Team (@ActorVijayTeam) August 3, 2026

The controversy erupted after the remarks, with opposition parties accusing the DMK leader of making a double-entendre comment targeting Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay while responding to slogans raised by party workers.

Based on a complaint filed by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), Thanjavur police registered an FIR against Udhayanidhi under charges of promoting enmity between groups, provisions of the Information Technology Act, and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.

TVK also approached the National Commission for Women (NCW), alleging that Udhayanidhi's remarks were "vulgar", "objectifying" and "sexually suggestive". In its complaint, the party sought legal action against the DMK leader, an unconditional public apology and intervention by the commission.