The Vizhinjam police on Thursday registered a case against 34 individuals for assaulting a police officer on duty near the Mulloor Bhadrakali Temple Highway road in Vizhinjam.

The accused have been identified as Santosh, Venu, Sarath, Maneesh and 30 other identifiable persons.

Earlier on Thursday, Venu, Sarath and Maneesh began dancing in the middle of the highway during a music festival at the Mulloor Bhadrakali Temple nearby. However, officer Vinaykumar from the Vizhinjam station intervened, stating that it would obstruct traffic in the area.

Provoked by the intervention, the trio returned around 1 am with 31 others and launched an attack on the officer. "This is the officer who did not let us dance on the road," the accused said, pointing at Vinaykumar. They also shouted insults at him before Santhosh began hitting him on his chest.

When the other officers restrained him and tried taking him into the police jeep, the remaining individuals hurled abuses at them and stopped the jeep.

The police registered a case under sections 296(b) (obscene acts), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 132 (criminal force against a public servant), 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.