Under house arrest first, ryot leader with permission protests at Secretariat

TIRUCHY: Farmer leader P Ayyakkannu, who was scheduled to organise a protest in Chennai, was detained under house arrest from Sunday, but later allowed with a special permission to travel to Chennai on Monday. He later staged a protest in front of the Secretariat.

The members of Desiya Thennindhiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam, led by the state president Ayyakannu, had planned to hold a protest in Chennai on Monday for various demands, including crop loan waiver, profitable price for agriculture products, prevention of Mekedatu dam construction and release of due water share from Karnataka for irrigation.

Around 100 members, headed by Ayyakannu, were scheduled to travel by train on Sunday night. However, the information about his travel was known by the police, and soon, a team of police from Fort Police Station went to his house near Karur bypass and kept him and the other members under house arrest.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Ayyakannu sought a special permission from the police headquarters and travelled to Chennai by around 11 am, reached the City and staged a protest in front of the Secretariat. Ayyakannu said that the farmers were listened to by the government. He said that he sought permission to meet the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, which was denied.