Following an appeal from Justice M.B. Shah, head of the panel enquiring into alleged “police excess” against anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project activists, the indefinite fast being observed by the protesters at Idinthakarai since May 1 was withdrawn on Monday evening.
Accepting the juice offered by village elders, 67 anti-nuclear activists ended their protest.
However, the relay fast against the nuclear power project will continue from Tuesday, said a member of the Anti-KKNPP Struggle Committee, M. Pushparayan.
When the Justice Shah-led enquiry commission conducted enquiry at Loyola College, Chennai, on Monday about alleged police excesses and filing of ‘fake cases' against the protesters, he urged the activists to give up their agitation, “which will badly affect their health”. The protest was withdrawn around 6 p.m.
Condemning the State government's failure to withdraw the ‘false cases' and accept a few more demands, the protesters began the indefinite fast on May 1 with 24 persons participating in it. The number crossed 300 when a group of men and women from other villages joined them. The number came down after the health of a few protesters deteriorated and they were admitted to hospital. When the fast was withdrawn on Monday evening, 67 persons were fasting.