MMK President arrested for tresspassing police station

Nagapattinam, Apr 29 (UNI) Police today arrested 26 volunteers of Muvendhar Munnetra Kazhagam (MMK) including its President Sridhar Vandaiyar for allegedly tresspassing into the Sirkazhi Police station and forcibly freeing the party volunteers from the custody near here.

The police said 10 MMK voluntrees were taken into custody as a preventive measure, as they had planned to stage black flag agitation against DMK youth wing leader and state Local Administration Minister M K Stalin, at Vaitheeswarankovil where he was staying.

They said Mr Vandaiyar and 25 other volunteers of the party attempted to stage the black flag agitation, which was prevented by a police team led by Deputy Suprintendent of Police Sirkazhi.

Mr Vandaiyar and others argued with the police and prevented them from doing their duty.

Finally, they were arrested, the police added.

At Chennai, AIADMK Supremo J Jayalaithaa and Marumalarchi DMK General Secretary Vaiko in separate statements condemned the arrest of Mr Vandaiyar and the party volunteers and demanded that they should be released immediately.

A report from Chidambaram said, police had also taken into custody about 300 MMK volunteers, including 147 women, when they attempted to resort to 'road rokho' in five places in Cuddalore district in protest against the arrests.

Meanwhile, the police tightened security measures to Mr Stalin, who would be returning to the city after his two-day tour of the district.

UNI