A large posse of police was deployed near Goripalayam Thevar statue after the police had information about a possible protest fast by members of Makkal Nala Paniyaalargal here on Tuesday.
As the agitators started coming in small numbers, the police picked them up and detained them in vans. Later they were kept in custody at Tamukkum Ground. According to the police, a total of 272 persons, including 120 women, were arrested.
In the evening, when the police released the agitators, as is the usual practice, only 30 persons voluntarily left the venue while the rest refused to vacate the place. They dispersed at 9 p.m. after the intervention of senior police officials.
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The agitators have been demanding that the State government must reinstate the 13,000 plus workers as they lost jobs after the new government assumed office. Following this, they approached the court, which directed the government to reinstate them in their work. Recently, they conducted a novel stir by resorting to begging from people near Periyar Bus Stand.