PUDUCHERRY:The activists of the Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam (DVK) staged a sit-in inside of the office of the Conservation Assistant of the Archeological Survey of India at Anna Nagar here demanding action against persons responsible for felling of trees from the compound of the historical Arikamedu site.
The activists charged that the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) failed to initiate any action against an official, and watchman at the ancient archeological site Arikkamedu. Charging that the trees would not have been cut from the site without the knowledge of the ASI employees, a foreman and watchman, the DVK workers led by Logu Aiyyappan, demanded that action should be taken against them also.
They alleged that three people from Villupuram were arrested, but the locals and the ASI officials who connived, were set free.
The DVK volunteers marched into the ASI office, but they could not find anybody inside the office. They took three chairs, notice board and a laminated board and threw it outside the office and sat on a protest dharna inside the office. The activists also locked the gate of the office also.
After a while, an ASI official, Sreedharan, turned up and the workers picked up an argument with him. In the melee, the official was pushed and jostled and a chappal was also thrown at him. Police personnel rushed and intervened to pacify them by assuring them that their demands will be addressed as the investigation was still on. Following this, the agitators withdrew their protest.
Earlier, the DVK activists submitted a memorandum to the Conservator of Forests urging cases be booked against all those involved.