Plea to withdraw cases against ‘Dina Bhoomi' editor

The Chennai Press Club on Thursday demanded the withdrawal of cases against ‘Dina Bhoomi' Editor S. Manimaran and his son M. Ramesh Kumar, who were arrested and released on bail.

In a statement, joint secretary of the Press Club Bharathi Tamizhan said if the State government was really interested in the welfare of journalists, it should immediately withdraw the cases. “Who asked the police to file the case and register a criminal case,” he asked and demanded action against police officers responsible for their arrest.

Arrest condemned

Condemning the arrest, CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan urged the government to come out with details about granite quarrying at Melavalavu and Keezhaiyur in Madurai district and the loss caused by illegal quarrying.

Janata Party Tamil Nadu president V.S. Chandralekha alleged that quarry owners had violated rules and encroached upon government poramboke lands.

She wanted the government to constitute a committee to look into serious violations and problems caused by illegal quarrying.