VCK cadres picket Pondy Assembly

Puducherry, Jun 30: Tension prevailed as workers of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) picketed the Puducherry Legislative Assembly with a dead body.

According to police, P Jyothi of Kariyamanickampet suffered snake bite at 1900 hrs yesterday. She was immediately rushed to the Nettapakkam Primary Health Centre (PHC). However, the staff referred her to the Government General Hospital, stating that there was no anti-venom medicine at the PHC. Jyothi died last night.

The body was handed over to her husband and relatives around noon today after post-mortem. The relatives, along with the VCK workers brought the body to the front gate of the Assembly and picketed the Assembly. They said this was the third death due to snake bite in their area in the last fortnight. A 17-year-old girl Banu and one Thulasi had died due to snake bite earlier. There was no medicine or any basic facilities at the PHC, Nettapakkam, they charged.

Demanding that adequate compensation be given to the family of the deceased and medicines and other facilities be made available in PHC,they resorted to the agitation.They also demanded the resignation of Agriculture Minister V Vatihilingam, also the Legislator from Nettapakkam constituency, and Health Minister E Valsaraj.

Meanwhile, police rushed to the spot and held talks with the agitators.

UNI