Farmers held for protesting foisting of taddy tapping cases

Coimbatore, Jan 31 (PTI) Protesting against the allegedfoisting of cases of toddy tapping by police, more than 60coconut farmers courted arrest today after staging ademonstration near the District Collectorate here.

Thangaraj, who led the demonstration, alleged thegovernment was trying to intimidate farmers who have heldagitations in various places in the state since January 21 todemand removal of the ban placed on toddy tapping by foistingfalse charges on them.

Thangaraj said a farmer in Agurupalayam in Sulurmunicipality in Coimbatore had been charged for tapping andstoring 150 litres of toddy whereas he had only 10 litres oftoddy in his possession.

Toddy tapping and selling is banned in Tamil Nadu andcoconut farmers are demanding the removal of the ban andpermission to sell toddy across the state.

Thangaraj said that the tapping of toddy would continue,"despite the threat by the Government through police".