Week-long protest seeking conduct of jallikattu at Tamukkam fizzled out on Monday after the first group of agitators who squatted on January 15, withdrew their protest complaining of anti-social elements intruding into their camp.
"We have confidence in the Ordinance promulgated by the State Government enabling to conduct Jallikattu and hence we are withdrawing our protest," said R.P. Chandrabose, a protestor.
A youth said that they could not have any control over "anti-social elements who crept into their camp" and hence they wanted to withdraw their peaceful protest.
This group of professionals attracted a huge crowd of students, especially women and children, day after day.
Another protestor, S. Jayakumar, thanked the city police for the cooperation extended to the agitators. However, Mr. Chandrabose said that they would again assemble for another bout of protests if the government did not fulfill their promises of bringing in a permanent solution to Jallikattu issue.
"Next time, we will be more organised in identifying the people who join us. We will allow only those people with identity cards," said Abi Saravanan said.
Meanwhile, the city police that has been negotiating with the protesters since the first day of the agitation appealed to them to vacate one lane of the road to enable free movement of the traffic.
"This is the main route taking people from different districts to the Government Rajaji hospital. Blocking the road (between Goripalayam junction and Tamukkam) was causing a major traffic snarl all around the city that has over 15 lakh population," said Additional Deputy Commissioner, Murugesh.
As the students refused to give up, the police forcefully removed the barricades put to block traffic on the road.
However, the students formed a human blockade not allowing any vehicular movement on the road.
Commissioner of Police, Shailesh Kumar Yadav, addressed the students and gave them an ultimatum of 30 minutes to discuss and decide on the issue.
Though a section of protesters hurled log and some papers on a group of police who tried to walk through them towards Nehru Statue, the huge posse of police present at the venue, remained calm and appealed to them to maintain peace.
However, a information of violence in Chennai trickled in the police stopped with their action.
Few hundred protesters including women and girls were still blocking the road. They have put up tents as it turned out to be a sunny day.
Police deployment in large number still continued at the venue.
