Protests erupted across the State on Wednesday, condemning the police firing on anti-Sterlite agitators in Thoothukudi. Hundreds of cadres belonging to various political outfits courted arrest, and around 50 persons were remanded.
Over 2,000 men and 150 women took part in protests and road rokos at 31 places across Chennai. Over 21 fishermen from Nochikuppam and over 20 from Ayodhyakuppam staged protests near their hamlets. They were arrested and later released.
Traffic was disrupted in T. Nagar in the morning as fringe outfits staged a road blockade in Saidapet. Around 317 persons were arrested.
In Tambaram, hundreds of cadres of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) staged protests in front of the bus terminus. They held a similar protest in front of the Kancheepuram taluk office.
In the neighbouring district, Tiruvallur Maavatta Paarambariya Aikiya Meenavar Sangam staged a protest in Pulicat by standing in the lake. In Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts, over 60 cadres, mainly from the VCK, were arrested for staging protests.
CPI(M) cadre staged road rokos at six places in Nagapattinam district.
In Tiruchi, Ariyalur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukottai and Perambulur, parties such as the CPI(M), the DMK, the CPI and the VCK organised protests.
In Madurai district, hundreds of CPI and CPI(M) cadres and members of other organisations staged road rokos and demonstrations in more than ten places. Around 200 people were detained.
CPI(M) State secretary K. Balakrishnan, along with several party cadre, was arrested while holding a relay hunger strike demanding the closure of Sterlite Copper, at Chidambaram Nagar in Thoothukudi on Wednesday.
Members of various political parties, farmers and lawyers took part in protests across the western districts on Wednesday, condemning the police firing in Thoothukudi.
In Coimbatore, the protesters raised slogans against the State and Central governments.
Around 100 members of various parties, who came together under the banner of the Tamil Nadu Makkal Medai, staged a protest in Udhagamandalam. They condemned Governor Banwarilal Purohit for visiting tourist spots in the Nilgiris despite the violence in Thoothukudi. Similar protests were held in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri.
