The Hindu : `No food given during long journey to jail'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 16, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

`No food given during long journey to jail'

By P.V.V. Murthi

VELLORE July 15. The MDMK general secretary, Vaiko, was not given any food by the police from the time they took him into custody at the Meenambakkam airport in Chennai last Thursday evening until he reached the Vellore jail on Friday evening, according to information conveyed by him to the press through N. Subramani, political advisory committee member of the party.

Mr. Subramani met Mr. Vaiko in the central prison just as the leader came out to board a waiting van, for going to Chennai to vote in the Presidential election today.

The vehicle carrying Mr. Vaiko left the prison at 11.25 a.m. amid tight security, preceded and followed by two escort vehicles.

Besides armed reserve policemen from Vellore, a Tamil Nadu Special Police commando party accompanied Mr. Vaiko.

Though he could not meet presspersons, waiting outside the jail from 7 a.m., in view of a Madras High Court order, Mr. Vaiko conveyed his views through Mr. Subramani, who alone was allowed to meet him this morning.

Mr. Vaiko told Mr. Subramani that he refused an electric fan provided to him in the central prison here.

He consciously turned down any special treatment and was taking only the usual food given to other prisoners.

`Don't meet Ramadoss'

Mr. Subramani said he conveyed to Mr. Vaiko the ``decision'' of the MDMK district secretaries that the general secretary should not meet the PMK leader, S. Ramadoss, in the event of his seeking an appointment, in view of his statement to the press that he had no intention of meeting Mr. Vaiko in the jail.Earlier, no partyman was allowed to meet Mr. Vaiko.

Even those who had come to have a glimpse of the MDMK general secretary were asked to clear off the vicinity a few minutes before the van carrying Mr. Vaiko left the jail.

Pramod Kumar, SP, Vellore, personally asked the partymen to leave the visitors' shelter opposite the prison entrance.

Even the presspersons were not allowed to enter the prison compound. However, visitors who had come to see other prisoners were allowed inside the prison, in keeping with due procedures.

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