Madurai: Tension prevailed in a busy area in the city tonight (Apr 2, 2004) after PMK (Pattali Makkal Katchi) workers providing security to their leader Dr S Ramadoss allegedly attacked members of superstar Rajnikanth fans' association with clubs and sickle in retaliation for a "black flag demonstration", injuring seven persons, police said.

Two members of the lawyer's wing of the fans' association and two presspersons, including a cameraman, were among the injured in the incident, police and association members said.

Two cameras of presspersons were damaged while another was snatched away by the PMK volunteers.

Ramadoss was on his way to address an election meeting when the Rajini fans showed black flags to him in the Anna Statue area, leading to the incident.

Five of the victims had been admitted to a hospital while the others received treatment for minor injuries.

Police said that some vehicles of the onlookers and press reporters were also damaged as the PMK men went on a rampage, hitting whatever they came across with their sticks.

Police, in the process of registering a case, said action would be taken against the culprits according to law. They increased the security at the meeting venue and en route after the incident.

Ramadoss did not make any mention about the incident at the meeting.

Rajinikanth's fans have vowed to defeat all the six PMK candidates in the coming Lok Sabha elections as a sequel to the reported verbal attack by Ramadoss against the actor recently and the targeting of his last film "Baba".