Police have arrested 12 persons on charges of conspiring to attack Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan near Pattukkottai in Thanjavur district. Mr. Thirumavalavan was on a tour of Pattukkottai, Peravoorani and Orathanad in Thanjavur district on Thursday evening. According to sources, police received a tip-off that some youth were sharing information over WhatsApp about a plan to assault Mr. Thirumavalavan during a flag-hoisting programme scheduled at Vadasery village. Police personnel were posted in the region to prevent any attack. However, some youths threw stones at the VCK leader’s cavalcade on Vadasery-Pattukkottai road. They also pelted the approaching police personnel with stones and fled.
Some empty beer bottles were also recovered from the spot . Two Special Sub Inspectors Rajendran and Gandhi were injured in the attack.
Police requested Mr. Thirumavalavan to reschedule his plans, avoid the Vadasery programme and proceed to Vadapathy in Tiruvarur district via Muthupet.
Late on Thursday night, police teams picked up R. Manikandan (25), M. Mathialagan (22), R. Vinoth Kumar (21), K. Manikandan (28), R. Manimaran (20), G. Manoharan (35), A. Yoheswaran (23), P. Kannan (29), T. Divakar (23), T. Anbanandan (23), M. Sharanraj (25) and A. Sethuraman (30) all belonging to Vadaserry and neighbourhood, and remanded them in custody on Friday. Most of those arrested are reportedly employed in software firms in Chennai .
