Viral video: Udhayanidhi Stalin ‘hides in toilet’; police keep waiting to detain him over remarks on Trisha Krishnan

DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin was detained on 4 August. This followed his allegedly-offensive remarks against actress Trisha Krishnan. The comment was made during a rally addressing the Cauvery dispute on 3 August.

Meanwhile, a video from his residence has gone viral. It captured his wife, Kiruthiga, speaking with waiting police officers. She is a filmmaker and writer in Tamil cinema.

In the footage, police explained they'd already been waiting for a considerable time. One officer insisted they were simply performing their lawful duty. Kiruthiga responded that her husband was still getting ready.

She specifically mentioned he was currently in the bathroom. She requested that officers wait a little longer.

"He's in the toilet. Please give him some time," she said.

Tamil Nadu minister Ma Subramaniam also appealed for more time. He argued a short delay would make little practical difference.

He warned that waiting too long could attract growing crowds. This might create unnecessary complications for everyone involved.

"If you take him at 9.30 AM or 10.30 AM or at 11, there will be backlash from the public," he said.

The officer maintained that they couldn't wait indefinitely. He reminded them that repeated requests for "10 more minutes" had continued.

While sharing the video, Udhayanidhi Stalin’s critics joked that he had “hidden in the toilet” as he was afraid of the police. “Udhayanidhi hid in the bathroom at 10 AM out of fear of the police,” wrote one of them.

The police officer emphasised that the police wouldn't violate any legal procedures. However, he stressed they must proceed with their assigned duty.

Subramaniam continued pressing for just “10 more minutes”. He mentioned advocate Saravanan would arrive during that time. He noted that Udhayanidhi had faced an 8-hour journey to Thanjavur. He argued this justified allowing him to finish his routine.

The officer repeatedly questioned whether he was violating any law.

“If you think that we're violating the law, I'll not force it. You should allow us to do our job as we are not doing anything illegal," said the officer.

After detention, Udhayanidhi Stalin said he wasn't worried about consequences. He called himself ready to face whatever followed.

Udhayanidhi questioned whether courts would prioritise speech over women's dignity. He denied saying anything wrong during his public remarks. He claimed that the arrest had lacked proper justification.

What did Udhayanidhi Stalin say?

On Monday, sections of the crowd interrupted Udhayanidhi’s speech by chanting "Trisha, Trisha", referring to the actress. The opposition has often weaponised the rumoured relationship between Trisha Krishnan and C Joseph Vijay, the Tamil superstar who now runs the state as the chief minister.

At that time, Udhayanidhi made a remark that sparked severe backlash. Due to the nature of the comment, LiveMint has decided not to include it

Police acted based on a complaint from S Bhairavi, the Central District Women's Wing Organiser in Thanjavur for CM Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The Thanjavur East police booked him under multiple sections of law.

His comments triggered sharp reactions from the BJP and the Congress. BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy has called the remarks “disgusting, obscene, vulgar and shameful”.

"He should take back his comment and offer an unconditional apology," Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief Manickam Tagore said.