Activist threatens to kill self to end 'corrupt' rule

Well-known social activist 'Traffic' K Ramaswamy on Saturday climbed a three-storeyed building here and threatened to jump and kill himself. He was demanding the dismissal of the "corrupt" AIADMK government and release of those farmers who were arrested recently for protesting against an oil exploration project.

Ramaswamy, who was reportedly on fast since Saturday morning, climbed a building at Parry's Corner, a congested locality next to the Madras High Court campus. He refused to get down even after a few police officers reached the spot and tried to convince him to get down. Later, police forcefully brought him down from the terrace.

Ramaswamy apparently wanted to highlight his demands, which included the resignation of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar and Food Minister K Kamaraj and release of the people arrested during the protests at Kathiramangalam village in Thanjavur district.

He also expressed concern over the government's lack of attention to the distress being faced by the farmers in Tamil Nadu and the 'worsening' law and order situation in the state.