In a first, Madurai private school teachers join protests

When the protests were going on in Madurai Railway Junction, Post Offices and so on more than 300 teaching staff attached to CEOA chain of schools in Madurai arrived at Tamukkam Ground in five school buses and started protesting there. The protest was highly unexpected as no prior information or permission was sought from police. Also the teachers jumping into protests when examinations are underway was also surprising for the police. Police took them under custody after 45 minutes of protest. 

In the central region, though 90 per cent of the shops and establishments down shutters, buses were operated to near normalcy. Around 4,000 cadre from various political parties courted arrest by resorting to blockades across Tiruchy. In Thanjavur around 3,500 were detained. 

Meanwhile, Naam Tamilar Katchi cadre locked Thanjavur Income Tax office in protest and a DMK cadre Sampan (60) died in Avudayarkovil at Pudukkottai during the blockade due to the extreme heat. A section of protesters who attempted to besiege the Tiruchy Head Post office burnt an effigy of the Prime Minister and the BJP flag. 

Rail rokos at 18 locations in the Tiruchy division affected the movement of trains, including goods trains. 

Meanwhile the Tiruchirapalli-Karaikal Passenger was stopped for two hours in Kizhvelur in Nagapattinam district. 

In Coimbatore, government buses ran as usual, but most of the private buses and lorries stayed off the road.  

Miscreants hurled stones damaging the windshield of two government buses and a private bus in Coimbatore and Namakkal. 

Industrial units in Tirupur declared a day’s holiday and theatres cancelled two shows till afternoon.