Madurai
Bringing relief to the farmers of Melur, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court quashed the final report/chargesheet filed against them for staging a protest demanding the release of water through the Periyar main canal in 2017.
Justice G. Ilangovan observed the protest was for release of water. It was the demand of the farmers of the particular area and the same cannot be construed as an unlawful protest. The protest will not fall under the category of unlawful assembly.
The court observed that no documents were produced to show that the farmers indulged in violence and caused damage to barricades put up at the place of occurrence. The entire prosecution was devoid of merits and liable to be quashed, the judge said.
