Sec 144 imposed in Pudukai as AIADMK groups plan events

In order to curb any untoward incidents in Pudukkottai district following a clash of programmes planned by two factions of the AIADMK, in which both the TTV Dinakaran’s men and other group’s men decided to garland leaders like MG Ramachandran and CN Annadurai on Friday morning, RDOs of Pudukkottai, Aranthangi and Iluppur had imposed section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to maintain peace and tranquility in the district.

A strong contingent of police personnel was deployed at vantage points in the district. 

The same scenes were seen at Aranthangi, Ponnamaravathi, Viralimalai, Alangudi and other areas in the district. When the newly appointed partymen from the Dinakaran’s faction got permission to garland the statues of the party leaders, supporters of Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister also sought permission from the SP to do the same on Friday. 

This kept the police on their toes for the whole day. While the police were closely watching the movement of cadre of all AIADMK factions, one CP Susheendran, district joint secretary of IT wing of the AIADMK, came to the spot and garlanded the MGR statue in the Pudukkottai town. 

Later, Susheedran, who was appointed by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, told the reporters that he has been visiting the statue every morning for the last three and a half years without fail. “The police officers in the town are aware of my routine visit. Hence, no one prevented my entry”, he said. However, till evening, no cadre turned to garland the statues, but the police security has been posted still there.