Except for a stone pelting incident on a TNSTC bus near housing board stop on Thoothukudi-Ettayapuram road by an accused, who was later arrested, and an incident of alleged assault on a shopkeeper by Antonyraj of Sivanthakulam road, the AIADMK ward secretary in late evening hours on Monday, the party cadres and the people on Tuesday mourned the death of AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa peacefully.
The TNSTC bus bearing registration numbers TN-72, N-1712 was damaged allegedly after K. Mariappan (41) of KTC Nagar, Thoothukudi pelted stone at the wind shield of the bus. Sources said he was not a party cadre, but an accused, who was involved in a case under Section 307 of IPC. Sipcot police have arrested Mariappan based on complaint lodged by J. Sekar (46) of Rajiv Nagar, Kovilpatti, the bus driver, under Section 3 of TNPPDL Act.
In the assault case filed by Thoothukudi South police, the complainant J. Jeyapandi (45) of Sivanthakulam road, a grocer was alleged to have been threatened by the AIADMK ward secretary to close the shop and after a wordy quarrel, the shopkeeper was assaulted and admitted to Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital.
Shops, hotels and various commercial establishments remain closed and buses and auto-rickshaws were off the roads in various parts of the district. Roads wore a deserted look.
Only a few tea vendors with cans were seen selling a cup for Rs.10, unusually on Palayamkottai Road here.
Shutters of some shops were half down and consumers bought essential commodities from those shops.
Cadres not only from the AIADMK, but from various political parties including DMK, Congress, BJP, CPI, CPI (M), PMK and MDMK took out a silent procession, which commenced near Thoothukudi old bus stand and concluded near old Corporation office here, to mourn the loss of Ms. Jayalalithaa.
The members of Thoothukudi Press Club led by its secretary S. Annadurai joined the people in paying tribute to Ms. Jayalalithaa and expressed their deep felt condolences. M. Arun, former secretary of the club, said her death had caused an irreparable loss to the people of Tamil Nadu and Vaseekaran, former president, while sharing the grief, recalled the achievements of the late Chief Minister. The other members of the club offered floral tributes to her portrait and observed a two minute silence.
Portraits of the late CM were put up at autorickshaw parking lots and several other places. Sources said silent processions and mourning prayers were organised at 35 locations in the district. Fishing operations were also suspended as fishermen in Thoothukudi and other coastal hamlets volunteered to suspend fishing operations.
With the deployment of over 2,000 police personnel, patrolling was on to prevent any untoward incident in the district.
With a total strength of 2,396 police personnel, only a few were on leave owing to unavoidable circumstances, sources said.
