Families in panic, claim night raids by police in Alanganallur

Alanganallur, the epicentre of jallikattu protests, and the arrest of youth agitators found echo in various districts and it turned into a unprecedented mass movement across the state. Following the arrests, in a relay action, youngsters and men from nearby villages formed themselves into groups and joined the protests along with womenfolk from Alanganallur. 

On the seventh day, that is the last leg, protests witnessed violent scenes when police used force to evict the gathering. In the aftermath of violence, according to residents, police in a bid to take revenge on protesters, were threatening the women from Alanganallur. Youth from neighbouring and other villages, who participated in the protests at Alanganallur, were being thrashed mercilessly by the cops. 

“They are also taking away youngsters to the police station without giving any valid reason,” women complained. Moorthy, a resident of Alanganallur said, “Police detained and are taking some of the key protesters, including Omar, Vinoth and Mugilan, to different stations and are beating them up. 

Through my friends in the police department I came to know that the agitators are being subjected to third degree treatment and it may take months for them to regain normal health. These are the individuals, who helped us sustain the momentum of protest. Jallikattu has been made possible because of their determination.” 

Shiva, a resident of Pudhupatti near Alanganallur, claimed that he was targeted by the police for taking part in the protest. “They barged into my house at the dead of the night in the guise of enquiry. Panicked by this and to ensure safety of my family, I went to my relative’s house in Chennai. I will return only after normalcy returns to my village.” 

Siva, a 68-year-old retired government employee, said that an undeclared emergency had been clamped in Alanganallur and its nearby areas. “I have been suffering from diarrhoea for the past three days. The situation is so bad that I am not even able to reach the Alanganallur hospital for treatment.” 

“Bus services are yet to resume to the area even after 15 days. The only mode of transport available is share auto,” he adds. As the police seems to be in no mood to relent and entering the houses at odd hours in the name of searching for protesters, there is severe panic among women residents and they were now leaving the village, said Siva. Even youngsters leaving by share autos were not being spared by cops, so many are sneaking through the interior roads to escape the rude action of the police, he added. 

“Police are patrolling the villages at night and knocking at our houses at night. When the women open the door, the policemen harass them,” claimed a youngster. 

However, the police denied the allegations. An official from Madurai claimed that cops were posted in Alanganallur and its surrounding villages only to monitor the situation and no arrests has been made or villagers being harassed. The policemen will be stationed in the villages till jallikattu is conducted, the official added.