HC stays cases over protests in wake of Gaja

The Madras High Court has stayed all further proceedings in cases booked last year by the Thalaingaiyuru police in Nagapattinam district against a group of people for staging protests in the aftermath of Cyclone Gaja as they were unhappy with the relief efforts.

Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan granted the interim stay after P. Vijendran, counsel for the accused, pointed out that most of them were graduates who were imprisoned for 45 days before being released on bail. He said the protesters included a Ph.D. degree holder, some M.Phil degree holders, engineers and even a journalism graduate.

‘Not pre-planned’

Contending that the protests were not pre-planned, he said they were a spontaneous response of the locals, who were angered not just by the loss of life and property due to the natural calamity but also because of attempts by local politicians and Ministers to sweep things under the carpet by issuing misleading statements to the media.