The gunning down of 20 Tamil workers in Andhra Pradesh evoked protests from political parties and social organisations on Wednesday in Puducherry.
Procession
The activists of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam(TPDK) took out a procession from Kamaraj Road and proceeded towards Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam’s information centre at Nehru Street.
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They staged a demonstration in front of the centre raising slogans and burnt portrait of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu. Police prevented them from advancing towards the centre. Around 50 volunteers were taken into custody .
TPDK’s Vice-President M.Elango said innocent Tamil workers were killed by Andhra Pradesh Police force on the pretext of self-defence.
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Terming the incident a fake encounter, the activists demanded that the Andhra Pradesh government register criminal case against the police personnel who were responsible for the killings. They wanted a sum of Rs.10 lakh to be given as compensation to bereaved families and a judicial enquiry to be conducted by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court.
The protesters wanted AP political functionaries, who were allegedly involved in the smuggling of Red Sanders, to be arrested.
Road blockade
Cadres of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) conducted road blockade near Subbiah Statue demanding the intervention of Union Government. Around 100 activists under its unit organiser Pavanan courted arrest.
Mr. Pavanan said, “The instances of attacks on Tamils are increasing across the globe. The Union Government should take preventive steps against the instances. The bereaved families should be adequately compensated.”
Social organisations also staged a sit-in before Andhra Bank and raised slogans against the AP Government. They burnt effigies of AP Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu.
Communist Party of India (Marxist- Leninist), Puducherry unit, said the Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu governments are jointly responsible for the killings. In a statement, unit secretary S.Balasubramanian said the deceased workers were hailing from Jawadu Hills and Jamunamarathur areas in Tiruvannamalai. The areas fall under Kalasapakkam constituency represented by former Minister Agri S.S.Krishnamoorthy who is in prison now.
Prey to greed
He charged that the innocent workers from Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Vellore districts had been falling prey to the greed of mafia gang which had support of the ruling party. As the Government failed to heed the voice of left movement and human rights activists in this regard, such killings happen.
CPI (ML) also sought the registration of murder cases against the police personnel who shot the innocent workers and said a CBI enquiry should be conducted into the incident.