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Journalism of Courage
UDHAGAMANDALAM, JULY 27: The entire Nilgiris district continued to be tense for the fourth day today. Tea growers including Badaga women were lathicharged. Police also burst tear gas shells to disperse the crowd which tried to continue the road-roko agitation at Yellahnalli on the Udhagamandalam-Coimbatore Highway on Thursday. About 500 persons were arrested in various parts of the district.
Section 30(2) under Police Act has been promulgated in the entire district in order to prevent these agitations. Heavy police forces have been picketed at many points near the Badaga villages.
Bus services were suspended in various parts of the district and schools remained closed. Business has been affected in the tourist town for the last two days due to cancellation of bus services.
The police chased away even women near Hullahda, Kekkatty and Mukkatty villages to prevent them from entering Yellahnalli point. About 20 tea growers were injured. J.B. Subramaniam, secretary of the Young Badagas Association and TMC district president, who continued his fast unto death near the Gandhi Statue at Yellahnalli, was arrested with his supporters in the morning. Ex MLAs H.M. Raju (Congress), K. Hutchi (AIADMK) and Ramamurthy of Farmers’ Association were also arrested at the point.
At Gudlaur town, TMC district general secretary T.K. Narayanan, TMC Youth Wing district president Koshy Baby and other functionaries Muthu Nadar and Ganapathy and plantation workers were arrested when they attempted to take out a procession in protest against police lathicharge on aged women and also arrest of fasting leaders. M.M. Ibrahim, Gudalur Town TMC president, told The Indian Express that tomorrow, about 1500 plantation workers will court arrest under his leadership in support of small tea growers in several parts of Gudalur taluk.
In a joint statement here, S.M. Raffique and M.T. Subramaniam, TMC district minority cell president and general secretary respectively, also condemned police lathicharge. They alleged that the police entered the houses and threatened women. They also alleged that Karunanidhi, who allotted Rs 1 crore for the construction of a building for cinema artists, has wanted to resolve the issue. They said about 5 lakh kgs of tea had been imported from Sri Lanka, affecting the local tea industry. S.K. Selvaraj, president of Universal Affectionate Foundation (UAF), also condemned the lathicharge.
Speaking to media persons, ADGP Kumarasamy said 283 people, including 30 women, were arrested. He said the police will not allow road-roko agitation anywhere in the district. He said police strength had been increased to 2000 to maintain law and order. Processions and meetings would not be allowed for 15 days, he said.
