CHENNAI: A Government bus was set on fire near Kasi Theatre in Chennai late on Sunday night by three members of the Puthiya Thamizhagam as a protest against the attack on the convoy of their leader Dr K Krishnasamy near Usilampatti earlier that day.
Police arrested Vimal Kumar (24), the party’s T Nagar area secretary, and Mohan (29) of Pallavakkam on Monday, and is on the look out for Padmanaban, who was also involved in setting fire to the bus bound for Arni from Chennai.
Meanwhile in Tirunelveli condemning the attack on the party president, party members blocked traffic in various places in the district and burnt a bus at Solaiserry near Sankarankovil on Monday morning.
Police arrested 289 Puthiya Thamizhagam members who blocked traffic at Chellapandian traffic island at Tirunelveli, Kadayanallur, Vasudevanallur, Veeravanallur and Puliyangudi.
On Sunday night, Krishnasamy after meeting the Dalits at Panthapuli in Tirunelveli district and Uthapuram in Madurai district was returning to Chellaiyapuram when, while passing through Ezhumalai, the cadre reportedly raised slogans near the Thevar statue in the bus-stand.
Infuriated over this, a group of people belonging to another community warned them not to raise slogans. As a re sult,both the groups started to pelt stones at each other. The car in which Krishnasa my was travelling got damged.
As retaliation to this incident, the Puthiya Thamizhagam members burnt a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus that was proceeding from Kovilpatti to Rajapalayam on Monday. The passengers who were inside the bus ran out and escaped without any injuries.
On information, Karivalamvanthanallur police reached the spot and put out the fire. Karivalamvanthanallur police have registered a case and are on the look out for 30 persons.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Tirunelveli Range, P Kannappan, and Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli, Asra Garg, visited the spot.
The Puthiya Thamizhagam members also damaged two private buses in the morning. One bus that was proceeding from Puliyangudi to Sankaran kovil was damaged at Irummankulam and three passengers of the bus escaped with mild injuries.
Another bus was damaged at Sankarankovil town.
Following the incidents, buses operating from Tirunelveli to other places in the district are being operated in batches along with police personnel.
Security has been beefed up at sensitive areas across the district.
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