Security tightened on Marina over alleged protest plan

Around 100 policemen from Triplicane, Mylapore, Light House and Anna Square brought the Marina beach stretch, including the Kamarajar Salai, under their control. Youth, who had gathered there in groups, were questioned and a few of them were asked to vacate the place immediately. 

“We got an alert that 10 youngsters have planned to assemble here to hold a protest,” said a police official. There is no suspicious movement of people in the city, he added. 

While all-terrain vehicles roamed in the stretch from Light House to Anna Square, Kamarajar Salai was combed for suspicious activities by bi-cycle borne cops. However, none was reportedly arrested. 

“We came to Marina to celebrate a friend’s birthday, but cops stopped us near Kannagi statue and didn’t allow us to enter the beach. We had no other option but to return,” said Vignesh (name changed), a college student. 

Though the hawkers and visitors, who came as family, were let in, the increased police activity took away the regular weekend buzz off Marina. This was not the first time that security was beefed up on the beach since the jallikattu protests. 

A group of men holding placards in support of farmers’ protests entered the sea off Marina on March 29. Police teams swung into action and even asked the shopkeepers on the beach to down shutters.