Seventy nine residents of Nanjanad village, near here, were arrested for staging a picketing demonstration on the District Collectorate premises, here on Thursday.
The demonstrators, including 41 women and some children, belonged to one group of the village which has been at loggerheads with another group for the past about 28 years over the right to perform pujas in a local temple. Members of both the groups belong to the predominant Badaga community of The Nilgiris and many of them are relatives.
With matters coming to a head a few months ago, the dispute had taken a violent turn resulting in two members of the larger group being killed and about 120 houses of the smaller group damaged.
It had led to the arrest of about 20 members belonging to the smaller group and the entire group numbering about 500 moving out. Eight persons belonging to the larger group had also been arrested.
Demanding steps to repair their houses and also action against about 150 persons belonging to the larger group who had allegedly damaged Them, many members of the smaller group had gone to the Collectorrate. Speaking to their representatives, The Nilgiris Collector P. Sankar said that a peace committee was trying to settle issues amicably. He appealed to them to appear before the committee along with members of the larger group and strive for a lasting solution. However, according to the police, they insisted on their demands being met and resorted to demonstration. This had necessitated the action.
