Public support for the social activist, who took on the sand mafia at Puthupalayam irrigation tank, strengthened with people from different walks of life joining hands on Monday to lay siege to the Anupparpalayam police station and also hold a demonstration at Avinashi.
The agitations were held to seek action against the officials who arrested social activist D. Prabhakaran, who opposed illegal sand mining in the Puthupalayam irrigation tank, on “false charges” a few days ago and to reiterate the demand for transfer of the District Collector and other officials who failed to prevent sand mining in the tank despite orders from Madras High Court.
Mr. Prabhakaran also sustained grievous injuries after being attacked by a gang for opposing sand mining.
“Apart from coordinating efforts to initiate the contempt of court proceedings against the Collector and other officials who failed to implement the court order, we will be pressing for the suspension of the Station House Officer of Anupparpalayam police station for initiating a false case against Prabhakaran,” T. Sathyamoorthy, an advocate and social activist, who was among those who led the agitations, told The Hindu .
He added that the Station House Officer of the Anupparpalayam police station should have behaved fairly instead of filing a case against Prabhakaran for opposing sand mining and that too with the fabricated charges of hurling a crude kerosene bomb at lorries involved in the scooping of sand.
“But why the same official showed reluctance to arrest the gang involved in the assault of Prabhakaran,” he wondered.
Meanwhile, the activists supporting Prabhakaran for his crusade and Prabahakaran himself were said to be receiving death threats from anonymous sources.
“Some of them have given written complaints to Avinashi police regarding the threats received and their complaints have been entered in the Community Service Register,” said Mr. Sathyamoorthy.
