Over 650 cadres of various Tamil Nadu political parties were arrested at Anaikatty on Tamil Nadu-Kerala border, nearly 40 kms from Coimbatore, on Sunday afternoon when they attempted to enter the neighbouring State to protest its plans to construct a check dam across the Bhavani River. The protestors had sought to stage a fast at Agali in Kerala.
For the past few months, political parties including the DMK, TPDK, MDMK, CPI, VCK, PMK and KMK have been vociferously campaigning against Kerala’s move to construct the check dam at Attappadi contending that it would prevent inflow of water into the Bhavani River affecting irrigation in Erode, Tirupur and Coimbatore districts.
On Sunday, district level leaders and party cadres assembled at Anaikatty around 11 am. After raising full-throated slogans against Kerala, leaders addressed the demonstrators.
Later around 12.30 pm they attempted to enter the Kerala border braving the police cordon.
However, a strong police contingent put up stiff resistance for a couple of hours and prevented them from crossing over to the other side.
Later, police led by Nilgiris Superintendent of Police S Nizamuddin, who was here on special duty, detained them at the Anaikatty Government Higher Secondary School. They were let off in the evening.
Inter-State bus services from Coimbatore to Kozhikode and Mettupalayam to Mannarkkad were suspended during the protest.
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