As many as 40 volunteers belonging to various Tamil outfits and civil society organisations were arrested when they attempted to picket Sri Aurobindo Ashram here on Friday.
The volunteers, led by G. Sugumaran, secretary, Federation of People’s Rights, took out a procession from the Head Post Office to Sri Aurobindo Ashram to press their demands.
However, the roads leading to the ashram remained closed and heavily barricaded with police personnel standing guard. Some of the activists climbed over the barricades and ran towards the ashram with the police on their heels. They were rounded up and arrested.
Speaking to reporters, G. Sugumaran demanded that the Puducherry government appoint an IAS officer to administer the ashram. The government should also order a probe by a retired judge of the Madras High Court into the alleged irregularities and complaints levelled by the inmates of the ashram, he said.
