Tension gripped the temple town of Palani as an unruly mob threw stones on a section of people in front of the taluk police station near here on Wednesday in a dispute over transportation of cattle.
Ten persons were injured and the front windscreen of a corporation bus was damaged in the attack.
Sendalankara Sampathkumara Ramanuja Jeeyar of Shenbaganalllur, who was going to Pollachi from Mannargudi to take part in a kumbhabhishekam, intercepted a mini van transporting five calves and two bulls on Pudhu Dharapuram Road in the temple town. The Jeeyar brought the van to the Palani taluk police station and lodged a complaint stating that the cattle was transported in a van without following guidelines and that they were dumped in the van without any feed and water. Preliminary inquiries suggested that Udayakumar of Thevanur Pudhur near Pollachi was transporting the cattle.
As the police took a long time to decide on filing a case against the cattle owner, the information about seizure of cattle spread in the town.
Members of various Muslim organisations assembled before the police station condemning the seizure of cattle.
At the same time, members of a few Hindu outfits too came to the taluk police station. When the Jeeyar came out of the police station, an unruly mob threw stones on his vehicle and people waiting outside the station. The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob. Later, members of Hindu outfit picketed the road. Four injured persons were admitted to Palani Government Hospital for treatment.
