COIMBATORE: Five members of Aadhi Tamilar Peravai, a pro-Dalit outfit, were arrested on Monday for hurling beef at the BJP office in Coimbatore during a protest to demand the arrest of a BJP functionary who threatened a couple selling beef dishes in a push-kart.

The Coimbatore city police booked Subramaniam, a local BJP functionary for threatening a couple Ravi and Abitha against selling beef items in a pushcart in Udayampalayam. However, people from the neighbourhood blocked Thudiyalur-Ganapathy Road by staging a sit-in protest demanding action against the couple for selling beef near a temple.

Rallying in support of the couple, the members of Aadhi Tamilar Peravai led by its district president Vincent marched towards the BJP office on VKK Menon Road. As they neared the BJP office, they took out a parcel of beef and hurled it, which fell scattered on the road. The protestors also stomped on posters showing Yogi Adityanath pictures.

When police attempted to detain them, the protestors lay down on the road. The police then arrested and took five persons to Kattoor police station for further inquiry.