Kadiramangalam villagers have decided to surrender their Aadhaar, ration and Electors Photo Identity Cards if the nine persons arrested during a recent protest are not set free by Friday.
Shops at the village remained shut for the fifth consecutive day despite a plea from the Tiruvidaimarudur Tahsildar Ganeshwaran.
On Wednesday, he visited the village and urged the traders and the public to resume trading and normal activity. The villagers refused to buy his arguments saying there was no possibility of talks or returning to normal life until all the nine persons arrested following the recent public-police clash in the village are released unconditionally.
Also, the Car, Van and Auto Owners Association of Kadiramangalam continued their strike for the second day hitting movement of people to and from the village that has remained a battlefield of sorts pitting the public on the one side, district administration, ONGC and the police on the other. Students who had to leave the village for their educational institutions elsewhere had to take alternative modes of transport due to the transporters stir.
As the day wore on, more than 350 people gathered in front of the Sri Mariamman temple in the village and resolved to intensify their struggle for the unconditional and immediate release of those arrested following the violent clashes.
The protesters said that if the arrested were not set free by Friday, then they would surrender their Aadhaar, Ration and Electors Photo Identity Cards the next day.
On Tuesday, a majority of residents boycotted the peace talks held at Tiruvidaimarudur to resolve the ongoing crisis over the ONGC oil wells. Only six persons from the village of a population of over 6,200 participated.
Elsewhere, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi organised a demonstration at nearby Tirupanandal demanding that the ONGC leave the village for good.
