Cops book ‘poll boycott’ group in Ambur

Nearly 200 locals as a mark of protest hoisted black flags in atop their houses and threatened to boycott the polls if revenue officials failed to retrieve the land. They also blocked the Chennai- Bangalore national highway on Monday.

Ambur tahsildar, who visited the spot, promised action after ascertaining the facts. But based on a complaint from the VAO, Ambur taluk police registered a case. They are also planning to arrest the agitators. However, the police action of registering a case has irked the locals who participated in Monday.

Meanwhile, 8 villages in Katpadi taluk have announced a poll boycott following the government not paying out a court ordered amount for land given by local farmers to construct a TNEB sub-station. Though the market rate was Rs 40,000 per cent, government gave land holders a meagre sum of Rs 1,250 and later revised it to Rs 5,000 after landholders moved court.