The district administration has banned the entry of all types of hired vehicles carrying volunteers for the death anniversary of Immanuel Sekaran on Wednesday and the Thevar Guru pooja on October 31 to ensure that the events pass off peacefully.
District Collector K. Nanthakumar promulgated the prohibitory order under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code on Sunday night on the recommendations of Superintendent of Police N.M. Mylvahanan.
The Collector said entry of hired vehicles, tractors, two wheelers and auto-rickshaws carrying volunteers for the two events would remain suspended from September 9 to 15 and October 25 to 31.
The carrying of ‘Jyothi’ (torch) was also prohibited, except from one kilometre of the venue, Paramakudi, for Immanuel Sekaran’s death anniversary, and Pasumpon for Thevar Guru pooja, and with prior permission from the District collector, an official release said.
The order, to be in force in the district for two months, also banned public meetings and assembly of five or more persons or processions to maintain law and order and to avoid disturbance to public tranquillity, the release said.
The SP said three youths who travelled on hired vehicles and on the banned routes were killed by the people of other community last year. In another incident near Madurai, seven people were killed when petrol bombs were hurled at a hired vehicle, carrying the volunteers, the SP said.
In the past, during death/birth anniversaries of various leaders, large number of volunteers visited the district in hundreds of hired vehicles and made lot of disturbances en-route, the SP said. When all the vehicles passed through the villages of other communities, the volunteers raised objectionable slogans and instigated other community people, he said adding “this has resulted in tense atmosphere during the birth/death anniversaries of various leaders.”
Community leaders who attended two rounds of coordination meetings held at the Collectorate were sensitised to the problem of engaging hired vehicles and they had agreed to cooperate with the district administration to maintain law and order and public peace, the release added.
