Tense moments prevailed for several hours on Monday following a sit-in protest conducted by members of various Dalit organisations and people from Karaipudur area blocking the entrance to the Collectorate.
They resorted to the agitation in protest against the removal of around 60 huts from a poromboke land at Karaipudur area during an eviction drive conducted by the Revenue department on Sunday and the arrest of 28 people from the area.
Pazha Shanmugam, state deputy general secretary of Dalit Viduthalai Katchi, said the revenue officials did not issue any notice before carrying out the eviction.
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“The arrests of the people have been illegal and all of them should be released with the cases registered against them withdrawn,” he added.
The Dalit organsiations demanded issuance of patta to all the 60 families who were displaced during the eviction drive.
Meanwhile, the police sources said that the arrested people actually damaged an earthmover and also assaulted two police men on Sunday evening.
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Surya Prakash, a police constable attached to Palladam station, and Lakshmanan, another constable attached to Kamanaickenpalaym police station, sustained injuries, the police officials pointed out.
The crowd moved away from the Collecatorate after senior revenue officials told them that their complaint on the arrest would be referred to Superintendent of Police.