Salem cops arrest 127 for bid to picket CM's house
Adhiyaman and his close aides on alighting from their car were bundled into a police van, triggering tension in the area, sources added.
Salem: As many as 127 members and volunteers of the 'Aadhi Tamizhar Peravai (ATP)' including its State president, Adhiyaman, were arrested by the Salem police on Monday when they poured in from different parts of the steel town in a bid to picket the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniwami's personal residence at Nedunchalai Nagar here.
The ATP protesters, who surged towards the Chief Minister's residence, defying police barricades put up at various roads leading to Mr. Palaniswami's house, were picked up at different spots, police sources said. Their protest was to press the State government to pressure the Centre to take effective legal counter measures against the recent Supreme Court judgment which sought to “dilute” the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
However, they had no police permission for their picketing programme, sources said. In fact, a small section of them who came from a particular place carried petrol cans, which the police seized before arresting them.
Adhiyaman and his close aides on alighting from their car were bundled into a police van, triggering tension in the area, sources added.