Protesters call off stir after police intervention

They tell the students with the promulgation of Ordinance their main demand is met

PERSISTENT: A section of students of Voorhees College refused to call off their agitation in support of jallikattu on Monday.

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Pro-jallikattu protesters, who were camping at the Old Bus Stand since January 18, left on Monday morning after the police asked them to disperse.

However, college students in different parts of the district such as Walajah, Ranipet, Gudiyatham and Vellore staged protests condemning the police action against students who were protesting on the Marina Beach in Chennai.

Students of Voorhees College staged a demonstration demanding a permanent solution to the conduct of jallikattu in the State and ban on PETA.

According to a jallikattu supporter who was present at the Old Bus Stand in the morning, the police had approached them around 7.30 a.m. and asked them to disperse from the venue.

“Only about 60 of us were present at the protest venue at that time. Many had gone home for a bath. The police told us to leave the bus stand. Some of us did not want to give up the protest and remained seated. But we decided to leave the bus stand as the police were persistent,” he said.

A police officer said they convinced the students that their demand to conduct jallikattu had been met following the promulgation of an ordinance. “We told them that the State government has assured us that jallikattu will be held without any hassles. While some left the venue, a few remained but dispersed in 10 to 15 minutes,” he said.

Following this, at least 30 police personnel were deployed on security at the Old Bus Stand. Normal bus services resumed from the terminus amid police security.

Jallikattu supporters at Vaniyambadi ended their protest in the afternoon.