MADURAI: Tension gripped the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border on Saturday as around 15,000 agitated villagers — about 6,000 of them on motorbikes — marched up to a point nearly 300 metres ahead of the Kumili checkpost, raising slogans, and tried to cross the border.District authorities and police prevented them from storming into Kerala territory. Theni District Collector K S Palanisamy, South Zone Inspector General of Police Rajesh Das and the Superintendent of Police of Sixth Battalion, Eshwar, addressed the crowd that comprised women, youth, farm workers, labourers and petty traders, for about five hours. The spontaneous upsurge began in places like Theni, Cumbum, Lower Camp and the adjoining villages as knots of people, angered over the Kerala government’s resolution affirming the need for an alternative dam to Mullaiperiyar and to lower the water level to 120 feet immediately, came to the road in the morning and started marching towards Kerala. As the crowd was gearing up to storm the Kumili checkpost, the police and district officials addressed them from a make-shift platform, engaging them in a dialogue, driving home the point that the Tamil Nadu government was seized of their concerns and that it would address their problems. Only after the officials assured them they would not be let down, they decided to march back, with the Collector leading the procession, at around 6.30 pm.Heavy police pickets have been posted in the region, where Section 144 is already in force.
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