Coimbatore, Oct. 23 -- A large number of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) cadres and functionaries gathered outside the Coimbatore Central Prison on Friday to welcome the party's Dharapuram bypoll candidate Karthika ahead of her expected release on bail.

Earlier, on October 21, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi criticised the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government over Karthika's arrest, alleging misuse of police powers against women leaders of opposition parties. She accused the administration of suppressing dissent by taking action against critics while allegedly sparing its allies.

Kanimozhi claimed that the case against Karthika was related to a rail blockade protest during the by-election. She termed the arrest a...