: Protesters who were part of the funeral procession of Hindu Munnani leader C. Sasikumar who was killed on Thursday also targeted transport corporation buses. More than 30 buses were damaged in stone pelting, and buses belonging to both Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation and private operators soon went off the road.
Over 700 of the 1,148 TNSTC buses remained parked in the depots, inconveniencing commuters who were struck at various places. People who arrived in the district from other places by buses and trains were also left stranded as taxis too were off the road. Autorickshaw drivers, who dared to ply, ended up fleecing commuters.
Police vehicles not spared
In the evening, the protesters set fire to a police vehicle in Thudiyalur. Crude bombs were hurled at religious premises in Pattunoolkara Lane, Sir Shanmugam Road and Kempatty Colony.
However, no one was injured.
On Vincent Road, members of two religious communities nearly came to blows but the Coimbatore City Police defused the situation by separating the two groups. Shops and autorickshaws were damaged at Big Bazaar Street, one of Coimbatore’s major commercial hubs.
At the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, hundreds of Hindu Munnani cadre gathered, shouting slogans supporting the slain leader. Senior leaders from the organisation, BJP and VHP were also present. After the post- mortem, cadre belonging to Hindu Munnani took the body in a procession to Rathinapuri and from there to Thudiyalur, where it was cremated.
When Sasikumar’s body was being taken on a procession, members of two religious communities threw stones at one another near the Mettupalayam Road bus stand, prompting the police to step in. A place of worship and a few vehicles parked outside it in Rathinapuri were damaged.
Additional forces rushed
Director General of Police T.K. Rajendran, who conducted a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation, ordered rushing of additional police reinforcements to Coimbatore from neighbouring districts.
He said the situation was under control and the people need not be unduly worried.
Coimbatore City Police Commissioner A. Amalraj said the police were receiving complaints about the incidents and would soon take action against the miscreants. Though the city was rife with rumours throughout the day that a prohibitory order (Section 144 of CrPC) has been clamped, Mr. Amalraj said that the situation was returning to normalcy and no such order has been passed.
