Five injured in police firing

Chennai, May 30 (UNI) Five people were injured when police opened three rounds of fire to disperse a mob, which indulged in stone throwing, protesting the opening of a ''disputed'' temple Hundi at Vilampatti village near Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, last night.

Reports received at the police headquarters here said that after the violent mob pelted stones, damaging five police vehicles and two buses, police resorted to lathi charge which failed to yield the desired result. As lobbing teargas shells too proved ineffective, the police fired buck shots, injuring five people.

Fifteen others also sustained minor injuries in the melee and in stone throwing.

The injured were hospitalised for treatment.

Police have registered three cases and 15 people were taken into custody for interrogation.

The temple hundi remained locked for the last two years due to a dispute among the trustees over hereditary rights.

The trouble started when administrative official Saravanan, armed with a directive from the Joint Commissioner of HR and CE department, and five others, opened the hundi and counted the offerings. As the news spread, a large number of locals gathered in front of the temple and drove away those counting the offerings.

They assaulted some others present when the hundi was being counted and blocked road traffic in front of the police station and pelted stones at vehicles.

District Superintendent of Police V Mari and the RDO tried in vain to pacify the agitators, when the crowd indulged in stone throwing.

The situation was tense, but under control. Police pickets were posted in the area to prevent any untoward incident.

UNI