Six persons of Natham Colony in Naikankottai village here, who were arrested by the Dharmapuri police on June 28 for their alleged participation in arms training given by the associates of elusive Maoist leader Kalidass, were detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on Friday, police sources said.
Based on the recommendations of Superintendent of Police Asra Garg, Collector K. Vivekanandan issued the order. The persons detained are S. Sakthi, 38, M. Durai, 46, C. Santhosh, 22, S. Adhiyaman, 22, G. Ashokan, 27, and G. Shankar, 36.
The order was served on the accused at the Salem Central Prison on Friday afternoon, the sources said.
The police said two country-made guns and some explosives were recovered from the accused, and they were arrested to foil an armed assault on leaders of a particular community.
The prohibitory orders promulgated across the Dharmapuri district late last month have been extended for two weeks from July 10. The orders were in force in view of the July 4 death anniversary of Dalit youth I. Ilavarasan of Natham Colony, who committed suicide after his caste-Hindu wife left him to live with her mother. The arrests were made in the run-up to the anniversary.