Fifty-three persons were arrested and remanded at Velur near Paramathi in Paramathi-Velur Assembly segment following a clash between members of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Kongu Ilaignar Peravai (KIP) late on Wednesday.
The clash broke out towards the end of polling over an attempt to bring an elderly person to the booth in a vehicle. The situation could not be brought under control till late in the night because of inadequate police strength at the spot with personnel being deployed in various areas on election duty.
It was brought under control close to midnight when personnel from nearby districts reached the spot.
ADVERTISEMENT
What began as an issue over polling turned into a casteist issue when members of the PMK allegedly targeted establishments owned by those of the KIP. Soon, KIP cadre and members of a community blocked the Salem-Madurai National Highway 7 for more than six hours.
The police said that the group set ablaze tyres and threw them across the highway near Paramathi-Velur. It also damaged two government buses and a jeep owned by a leader of the rival group. A fire tender rushed to the spot to put out the blaze was also targeted.
Peace talks conducted by Superintendent of Police Pravesh Kumar yielded no result as unrest continued. It took nearly three hours for District Collector S. Madumathi to hold talks with both the parties and bring the situation under control. Even her vehicle was targeted by protestors.
ADVERTISEMENT
Inspector General of Police (West Zone) P. Sivanandi and Deputy Inspector General of Police (Salem Range) A. Venkataraman arrived with reinforcements and carried out intensive raids throughout the night to arrest the miscreants.
The SP and Additional SPs Kannammal and T. Sureshkumar led teams of about 300 police personnel and arrested 53 persons from both groups. The PMK's sitting MLA from Paramthi-Velur Nedunchelian was arrested, but released later owing to lack of concrete charges against him, Pravesh Kumar told The Hindu .
Quick Reaction Teams have been deployed and police pickets posted as sensitive pockets, the SP said. The highway was strewn with stones, burnt tyres and broken glass. Shops remained closed on Thursday in Velur town.