Veteran Communist Party of India (CPI) leader R. Nallakannu on Sunday condemned the police action in detaining 32 protesters who were opposing alleged illegal sand mining in Karur by an organised mafia. Mr Nallakannu, who is a prominent leader of the Cauvery Protection Movement that has been spearheading a campaign against rampant sand mining in the delta districts, lamented that while the sand mafia was being allowed to carry on its illegal activities, those protesting against it were being detained.
Addressing journalists here, Mr. Nallakannu said 32 protesters — including Mukilan, the leader of the movement — had been detained at 11.30 on Monday night.
The police cited prohibitory orders issued ahead of Assembly election at Aravakurichi, within which the site of the protest falls, as the reason for the detention. The protesters, who had been kept separately in four groups, were allowed to go on Tuesday morning.
Mr. Nallakannu was joined at the interaction by Tamil Nationalist leader Pazha Nedumaran and CPI leader C. Mahendran. They said that the protest had taken place against the government sand quarry at Velayuthampalayam.
“The movement has been active for the last seven months, during which we estimate sand worth a total of Rs. 3,000 crore has been taken out illegally from the quarry,” said Mr Mahendran.
Mr. Nallakannu estimated that over the past 15-odd years, Tamil Nadu has lost sand worth Rs. 2 lakh crore. “They are supposed to mine only within a 600x400 metre area, but mining currently takes place over five kilometres and from bank to bank,” alleged Mr. Mahendran.
