80 people arrested for attempting road roko agitation

Chennai, Aug 25 (UNI) About 80 people were arrested when they tried to stage a road roko agitation near State Secretariat here today.

Police said about 67 members belonging to 32 families, hailing from Angammal Colony near Salem, took out a march to press their demand when they were taken into custody.

When they attempted to block traffic, they were arrested.

They were demanding implementation of the Madras High Court order allowing rehabilitation in their colony from where they were evicted allegedly by supporters of Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S Arumugam.

The supporters of Mr Arumugam had allegedly enroached the land and forcibly evicted those staying in the colony. On a petition the High Court had restored the land back to the Colony and directed the authorities to rehabilitate them in the same place with police protection.

In another incident, about 15 people hailing from Athur near Salem were arrested when they took out a march to the Secretariat to protest against the alleged acquisition of their lands for construction of Tamil Nadu Housing Board tenements.

When they tried to march towards Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's residence at Gopalapuram, security officials asked them to file a petition at the CM's cell at the Secretariat, where they tried to block roads, leading to their arrest.

UNI GV KVV SY UCS1741