Media drone peeps into ‘golden cage’ where AIADMK MLAs are lodged

With entry route restricted to a narrow 2km lane off the East Coast Road that connects Chennai and Puducherry, journalists have been trying different ,even sea routes, to get close to the ‘golden cage’.

One can simply drive into the idyllic Golden Bay Resorts, surrounded by calm blue sea on three sides at Kuvattur, the only requirement being a reservation.

An aerial view of the Golden Bay resorts at Kuvattur in Chennai. (HT Photo)

But over the last four days the luxurious resort has been converted into fortress, entry to which is being guarded by a private army, allegedly hired by the AIADMK, who are protecting the ruling party legislators supporting Sasikala.

With entry route restricted to a narrow 2km lane off the East Coast Road that connects Chennai and Puducherry, journalists have been trying different ,even sea routes, to get close to the ‘golden cage’.

Read | Journos protest manhandling by AIADMK private guards at Golden Bay resort

A popular Tamil television channel – Puthiathalaimurai – also used a drone to get a bird’s eye view of the expansive resort spread over six acres.

“Other than shooting the drone down, there was no way the AIADMK men could have prevented aerial invasion,” said a veteran journalist.

Read | Panneerselvam vs Sasikala: 10 points about Tamil Nadu’s power struggle

A senior Puthiyathalaimurai staffer told Hindustan Times (HT) that the AIADMK men had threatened to throw stones at their drone when they spotted it. “AIADMK men saw what we were doing and had even said we will throw stones at your drone. But we shot the video.”