Though public transport remained unaffected and more than 90 per cent of the educational institutions functioned, about 85 per cent of the business establishments in the district remained closed during the State-wide bandh observed on Friday in protest against the Cauvery water row and the consequent attacks unleashed on Tamils and their properties in Karnataka recently.
While all shops in the Palayamkottai Gandhi Market remained closed, more than 50 per cent of the shops in the city started the day’s business as usual. But phone calls from the office-bearers of the traders’ associations forced the shopkeepers to hurriedly close down their establishments after 9.30 a.m. As per the decision taken by their associations, most of the hotels and restaurants remained open on Friday.
Private and government buses plied as usual, but with a handful of passengers. All government and aided schools and many matriculation schools functioned as usual and went ahead with their quarterly examination schedule. More than 50 per cent of the autos were seen taking children to schools as usual.
Anticipating possible rail roko, good number of police personnel had been deployed in front of the nelveli Railway Junction. However, the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) cadres, led by party’s Tirunelveli City district secretary K.M.A. Nizam, entered the railway junction through the northern entrance and blocked the train at the third platform. Only after the protesters climbed atop the loco, the police arrived at the spot and arrested 33 MDMK cadres.
When the police started arresting the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) cadres marching towards Tirunelveli Railway Junction, a good number of protesters, especially women, left the spot immediately in a bid to evade the arrest. Of the 250-odd protesting DMK cadres, only 140 of them courted arrest.
At Pettai, 15 Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi cadres courted arrest when they attempted to block the Shencottai – Tirunelveli Passenger Train.
In rural Tirunelveli, police arrested 374 persons including 72 women when they staged road roko at Alangulam, Nanguneri, Kadayanallur, Sankarankovil, Puliyangudi, Tenkasi and Keezha Puliyoor. All the detained protesters were released later. The police had made elaborate security arrangements across the district.
Thoothukudi
In the neighbouring Thoothukudi district, the police arrested 378 cadres, including 42 women, of MDMK, VCK and Thamizhaga Vaazhvurimai Katchi, when they attempted to block rail traffic at Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur, Eral, Kovilpatti and Alwarthirunagari.
Police arrested 206 DMK cadres when they, led by Tiruchendur MLA Anita R. Radhakrishnan, attempted to block rail traffic at Tiruchendur. DMK cadres led by party’s Thoothukudi district secretary N. Periasamy staged road roko in front old bus stand.
More than 90 per cent of the shops remained closed in the district. While the country boat fishermen struck work, mechanised boat fishermen ventured into the sea.
Nagercoil
As many as 578 cadres of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal and Dalit Rights Protection Movement were arrested for rail roko and laying siege to a hotel run by a Kannadiga to show their protest against the violence unleashed against Tamils in Karnataka and to seek water release from Cauvery in Kanniyakumari district on Friday.
The dawn to dusk bandh called by the farmers’ associations ended without any untoward incident in the district, as 90 per cent of the shops and business establishments, petrol bunks, hotels, APTA vegetable and fruit market, jewellery and textile shops remain closed across the district.
All educational institutions, including private schools, functioned as usual. To show their solidarity, the theatres had cancelled morning and matinee shows.
As a precautionary measure, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses were stopped at Paralasalai, whereas the TNSTC buses were operated to destinations in Kerala. The DMK was allowed to stage demonstration in front of the Nagercoil Railway junction after heated arguments with the police officials.
The cadres were stopped nearly fifty metres away from the junction. Former Minister and Nagercoil DMK MLA N. Suresh Rajan and Kanniyakumari DMK MLA S. Austin, Nagercoil Town Secretary R. Magesh and former MP Helen Davidson were allowed to stage demonstration just in front of the junction. Police arrested 315 DMK cadres including 33 women.
Police arrested 150 DMK cadres when they resorted to rail roko in Kuzhithurai railway station under the leadership of Kanniyakumari West District Secretary and Padmanabhapuram MLA T. Mano Thangaraj.
Nineteen VCK cadres who had arrived at the Nagercoil junction from Kanniyakumari in the Island Express blocked the train. They were arrested and taken to the Armed Reserve Police community hall. Twenty nine VCK cadres were arrested in Kuzhithurai Railway station.
Forty two cadres of MDMK were arrested after they staged a demonstration in front of the junction. Mallai Satya, State Deputy General Secretary presided over the agitation. Meanwhile, 23 cadres of Dalit Rights Protection Movement led by its president V. Dinakaran were arrested when they laid siege to Udupi hotel near mofussil bus stand.
