THOOTHUKUDI
The police arrested a Madurai-based advocate, who spearheaded the anti-Sterlite agitation in Thoothukudi, at the Chennai airport on Wednesday.
Vanchinathan arrived from New Delhi after attending proceedings in the Supreme Court. After his arrest, he was taken to Thoothukudi.
Mr. Vanchinathan, along with another advocate K. Hariragavan, was booked for participating in the protests and being responsible for the violence. In their petition filed last week seeking advance bail from the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, the advocates said that they had peacefully protested seeking closure of the plant and were not involved in any kind of violence during the protest.
Meanwhile, People’s Watch executive director Henri Tipahgne condemned the midnight arrest of Mr. Vanchinathan. “What was the need for such urgency, when the HC Bench’s order dismissing the advance bail plea was yet to be made available to the advocates on record,” he asked. This was nothing but a tactic to threaten the people who voiced concerns against the government.
The Save MKU Coalition also condemned the arrest, calling it an autocratic move. “We will go to the court and seek legal remedy,” said R. Murali.
