A total of 550 cadres of the Communist Party of India, including 105 women, courted arrest when they attempted to stage road roko at eight places in the district on Thursday in protest against the Centre’s Land Acquisition Bill.
As the protestors tried to block the road at Tirunelveli Junction, the police detained 64 functionaries, including two women.
The police also arrested 486 persons, including 103 women, when the CPI cadres tried to stage road roko at Valliyoor, Ambasamudram, Tenkasi, Shencottah, Surandai, Sivagiri and Sankarankovil.
Tuticorin
In neighbouring Tuticorin, the police arrested 1,110 CPI cadres, including 630 women, as they tried to block vehicular traffic at Tuticorin, Tiruchendur, Kovilpatti, Vilathikulam, Kurukkusalai, Ettaiyapuram, Eral, Kurumbur and Vanaramutti.
Nagercoil
As part of the nation-wide protest against the Land Acquisition Bill, the CPI staged a road roko in front of the Anna bus stand in Nagercoil on Thursday.
V. Arunachalam, district president, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, inaugurated the agitation in front of the bus stand.
Thirty-four workers, including the district-level office-bearers, were arrested and kept in a private marriage hall.
All of them were released in the evening.
S. Esakkimuthu, CPI district secretary, presided over the agitation.
S. Anil Kumar, district secretary, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), and leaders from fraternal organisations spoke.
Those who participated in the agitation urged the government to withdraw the Land Acquisition Bill and raised slogans against the Union government.
