Tight security in Bangalore

Fasts, protests and special prayers for the early release of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa continued across Tamil Nadu on Monday even as the stage has been set for the hearing of her bail plea in the assets case in the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday.

Anticipating a large number of AIADMK cadre flocking to the garden city, the Bangalore Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 in a one km radius around the Karnataka High Court and around the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, where Ms. Jayalalithaa and the other three convicted in the wealth case are lodged.

Bangalore Police Commissioner M.N. Reddi said security had been tightened and over 2,000 personnel led by a Joint Commissioner would be deployed at both places.

In Tamil Nadu thousands of AIADMK cadres and sympathisers held rallies, human chain formations and prayers for Ms. Jayalalithaa’s release. Party cadres organised a special ‘yagam’ at the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai.

Schools to work

Meanwhile, a day after the Federation of Association of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu announced that member-schools would remain closed on October 7 to express solidarity with Ms. Jayalalithaa, came a U-turn on Monday evening with the declaration that schools would function on Tuesday.

Another potentially huge embarrassment was averted with the prosecution team in the appeal by Ms. Jayalalithaa and others making it clear that it was functioning under a GO — appointing Bhavani Singh as Special Public Prosecutor in the case — issued by Karnataka in 2013 and not the one issued by the prosecuting agency in Tamil Nadu, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption.

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