Seven villagers of T. Murungapatti, near Uppilliyapuram, where a massive blast at a private explosives factory killed 19 labourers last year, were arrested on Monday for blocking a lorry from entering the factory premises.
The arrests triggered angry protests from residents who thronged the Collector’s Office in Tiruchi to petition the Collector. A few shops in T. Murungapatti and Badharpettai villages remained closed on Monday in protest against the arrests.
The Uppilliyapuram police picked up M. Natarajan (59), N. Palaniappan (37), K. Periyasamy (64), C. Pugalendran (45), S. Anandan (40), K. Saravanan (34) and K. Appadurai (39) in the early hours from their homes and arrested them thereafter.
The seven villagers were charged with blocking the lorry, said to be transporting bricks to the unit, where production was stopped following cancellation of the no-objection certificate following the blast in December last.
Police sources said one of the accused, Palaniappan, allegedly stopped the vehicle in the late hours a few days ago, suspecting that it could be transporting materials for reopening the unit.
Police said the lorry was transporting bricks apparently to carry out maintenance works. Palaniappan is alleged to have assaulted the lorry driver, V. Murugan, on whose complaint the Uppilliyapuram police registered a case.
Palaniappan sounded an alert over phone to the villagers, who came as a group and blocked the lorry. Police went to the residences of the seven persons in the early hours on Monday and picked them. The seven were arrested and later remanded. A case was booked against them under IPC Sections including 147 (unlawful assembly) 352 (assault) and 341 (wrongful restraint).
Condemning the police action, a group of villagers of T. Murungapatti petitioned the District Collector, K. Rajamani, during the weekly grievances redressal meeting here on Monday.
Police action
A section of them, who were allowed to meet the Collector, complained against the police action. The petition alleged that the police foisted a case against the seven persons. “The police entered the residences of the seven villagers at around 2 a.m. and picked them all without giving any information to the family members,”claimed Chettiyanan of T. Murungapatti, the petitioner.
He also alleged that activity continued to take place inside the unit discreetly despite cancellation of the no-objection certificate. People in the surrounding areas had petitioned officials several times, seeking protection so that another horrific incident did not recur, he said.
