The police on Wednesday arrested 21 persons, including Pattali Makkal Katchi State Deputy General Secretary P. Ramesh, on charges of vandalising houses and banana crops, belonging to a particular community at Pothanur in Paramathi Velur Taluk here on Monday night.
Trouble erupted in the village over celebrating the festival at Vellakkal Mariamman Temple on Monday with members of one community resorting to damaging houses and destroying banana crops belonging to the other community.
This angered the members of that community who blocked the Namakkal – Karur National Highway on Tuesday.
After Superintendent of Police S.R. Senthilkumar pacified them, villagers withdrew their protest.
Paramathi Velur police later registered cases and arrested 21 persons. They were produced in the court and lodged at Salem Central Prison.
Search is on for a few others also.
Since tension remains in the village, police personnel were posted for duty and patrolling intensified in the area.
