Barring two stone pelting incidents on Monday night, the demise of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa did not set off any incidents of violence in any part of the district as Tuesday passed off peacefully with the public and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam cadres paying floral tributes to her portraits kept at vantage points.
All-party silent processions were organised at two places in the district. All arterial roads wore a deserted look in the absence of public transport on Tuesday. Monday night passed off peacefully, thanks to the intense patrolling by the police. Portraits, posters and flex banners of Jayalalithaa could be seen at almost all important junctions and intersections.
Led by Collector M. Karunakaran, senior government officials, including Assistant Collector (Training) Charu Shree, District Revenue Officer M.G. Kulandaivel, Revenue Divisional Officer (Tirunelveli) P. Fermi Vidya and Project Director of District Rural Development Agency Palani, paid floral tributes to the decorated portrait of the late Chief Minister at the Collectorate.
Dr. Karunakaran also participated in a similar event organised at Sri Sarada College for Women on Palayamkottai outskirts.
Except for a few roadside teashops, all shops, hotels and restaurants across the district remained closed on Tuesday, much to the agony of bachelors and stranded passengers. After witnessing the ordeals of this unfortunate lot, a private mess at Tirunelveli Junction offered them free food packets shortly after noon.
AIADMK cadres at Valliyoor, Paavoorchathram, Surandai and Palayamkottai tonsured their heads for their beloved leader.
All-party silent processions were taken out at Maharaja Nagar in Palayamkottai and Tenkasi, in which cadres of all major political parties, including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, participated. Sri Lankan refugees of Subramaniapuram camp near here also organised a silent procession to pay their respect to the departed leader.
While unidentified miscreants smashed the windscreen of a private bus at Udaiyarpatti when it was proceeding from Tirunelveli Junction to Thazhaiyooththu on Monday night to clear stranded commuters at the bus stand, a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus, proceeding from Sankarankovil to Surandai, came under attack on Sankarankovil outskirts, in which two passengers sustained minor injuries.
Much to the relief the passengers coming to Tirunelveli railway junction in the evening, the roadside eateries served them food.
