AIADMK MLAs held for protest march in Valparai

COIMBATORE: Around 140 persons, including two AIADMK MLAs, were arrested for taking out a march to protest the closure of Tantea estate in Valparai.

Valparai MLA Amul Kandasamy and Gudalur MLA Pon Jayaseelan, along with members of several workers’ union and party functionaries, took out the march from the party office on Sunday.

The protestors had planned to commence a fast after reaching the old bus stand area. However, the police stopped them from proceeding further, as they took out the march without obtaining police permission. The protestors claimed that hundreds of workers would lose their livelihood if Tantea was closed and the land area was taken over by the Forest Department. All the arrested persons were kept in a marriage hall and were let off in the evening. Condemning their arrest, Amul Kandasamy told the media that the government should withdraw its plan to close Tantea.

“If not, more protests will be held,” he said. More than 100 police personnel were deployed as a preventive measure in Valparai.