Irked over the official machinery’s delay in shifting a TASMAC outlet located close to Melakalkandarkottai bus stop in the city, a section of the Communist Party of India (CPI-M) cadre gave vent to their anger by trying to lock the shop on Tuesday.
However, their attempt was foiled by the police who arrested them. As repeated representations to shift the TASMAC outlet from that place, causing nuisance to the public, had fallen on deaf ears, the CPI(M) decided to lock the shop, the party’s Golden Rock area secretary, N. Karthikeyan, said.
As planned, cadre came from different directions towards the shop (no. 10314) to lock it. A wordy quarrel erupted between the party cadre and police personnel leading to a fracas for sometime. A group of CPI (M) cadre led by Karthikeyan were arrested and taken to the K.K. Nagar Armed Reserve ground, the police sources said. Following the stir, police personnel were deployed in front of the shop.
The outlet functioning close to the bus stop for three years now has been a source of nuisance as many tipplers, in an inebriated state, use abusive language and sometimes occupy the bus shelter. With schools, hospital, and a temple nearby, the presence of the wine shop had been causing inconvenience to the residents, Mr. Karthikeyan said.
The party had called for an agitation in April demanding the shifting of the TASMAC shop. Consequently, revenue officials held talks and gave a written assurance that the shop would be shifted. However, action was not taken by the official machinery since then prompting us to hold a stir today, he said. Those arrested were released in the evening.
Meanwhile, CPI (M) district secretary Sridhar condemned the arrest of party cadre.
In a statement, he said government officials had failed to shift the liquor outlet as promised during the talks held earlier. Urging the district administration and the State government to take steps to immediately shift the outlet that was functioning in a busy area, he said the party would continue its protest if there was delay.
