MDMK members, film directors court arrest

Chennai, Oct 25 (UNI) The arrests of Marumalarchi DMK(MDMK) leaders and Tamil film directors on charges of sedition and offering support to the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), evoked sharp protest from the party and the film industry with partymen and film personalities courting arrest today.

About 5,000 MDMK volunteers and about 200 directors and assistant directors were arrested when they staged demonstrations, protesting against the arrest of MDMK leaders Vaiko and M Kannappan and film directors Seeman and Ameer.

The MDMK volunteers staged protest demonstrations at 38 centres throughout the state and the film industry staged the protest in front of the AVM studios.

Police arrested the MDMK volunteers, when they staged the protest demonstration, violating prohibitory orders in the city and for defying police order, denying them permission in other places.

In the city, MDMK volunteers staged the agitation in front of the Memorial Hall, violating prohibitory orders. Velachery Manimarn and party spokesman Radhakrishnan were among others who were arrested.

Mr Radhakrishnan, condemned the arrest, stating that the police, after granting permission, suddenly cancelled the permission this morning, which he said was totally undemocratic.

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