A drama unfolded when the police from Washermenpet station tried to arrest a drug peddler on Sunday evening.
Police were looking for Vignesh alias Route Vicky, 27, of Bojaraja Nagar. He was allegedly supplying psychotropic tablets mixed with ganja to youth in north Chennai areas. He was popular among the juvenile offenders in the area and the boys used to have his name tattooed on their chest. He has more than six criminal cases against him.
Whenever police tried to arrest him, the family members and neighbours used to prevent them from picking him up.
A few of the neighbours would douse themselves with kerosene and threaten to immolate themselves or slashed their hands.
They would make all attempts to prevent his arrest, a police officer said.
“This time, we chalked out a plan to nab him after receiving information that he was present at a particular location. The area is full of huts. The neighbours and his family members quarrelled with us and blocked us. We deployed full strength and nabbed the accused along with two associates,” said Fravin Dani, inspector of police.
Besides Vicky, his associates M. Karthik, 29, and his brother Ajith alias Shainsha, 24, were arrested and 1.250 kg ganja and 270 nitrazepam tablets were seized from them.
After the arrest, the locals staged a protest near the Secretariat.
The police arrested 12 persons, including 10 women on charges of abusing, rioting and preventing police personnel from discharging their duty.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State's health helpline 104 and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050)
