TIRUCHY: Sources said that the annual festival of Madurai Kaliamman Temple in Thottiyam was under way on Monday. There was a dispute between two groups of members of a backward caste residing around the temple over organising the festival. Meanwhile, on Sunday night, one group of devotees pulled the temple car as part of the annual festival. While the car was passing through the main streets, some miscreants pelted stones into the crowd and this led to an unrest among the devotees who in turn staged a protest demanding the immediate arrest of the culprits.

Efforts by police to pacify them went vain and the devotees continued their protest, which lasted until 3 am on Monday.