PMK founder S Ramadoss was arrested on Monday for his attempt to lock down TASMAC shops as announced earlier as part of a series demonstrations aimed at total prohibition in the State.
Besides Ramadoss, as many as 256 people, including 29 women, were arrested for taking part in the stir for which permission was not granted. Police sources said preventive arrests had been made all over the City.
Ramadoss began the demonstration by addressing the gathering about the ways to work towards total prohibition. He also spoke about the social evils that were the outcome of alcoholism and the plight of youth taking to booze. After his address, he marched towards a couple of TASMAC shops in Thambu Chetty Street in Parry’s and was subsequently arrested by the police at noon. He was then taken to a community hall in the vicinity and was released with others later in the evening. Meanwhile, some PMK men who had evaded the arrest managed to lock down TASMAC shops on Sunday night. Cops said such stray incidents were reported but the salesmen had forced open those locks and resumed business as usual.
15,000 Held Across the State
Over 15,000 Pattali Makkal Katchi cadre were arrested across the state on Monday as they attempted to lock down state-run liquor shops. Police sources said they had detained the cadre, including 2,700 women, from 500 different spots. Police said 85 of them were remanded as they locked the liquor shops.
In Chennai, a total of 1,216 people were arrested. In Kanchipuram district, 1,567 people were detained while in Tiruvallur, 500 were arrested.
Police security was provided to many liquor shops. As a preventive measure, over 1,400 members of the party were arrested across the state on Sunday.
Former union minister and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, addressing partymen in Villupuram, said, “The average minimum age of liquor consumption has come down in Tamil Nadu as even school-going students have started to consume alcohol now,” He was arrested with his supporters and was released in the evening.
State president of the party G K Mani, who was arrested in Salem, demanded a referendum on total prohibition in the State.
Speaking to reporters during the party’s ‘wine shops locking protest’ here, Mani cautioned that teens in the State were increasingly becoming alcoholics.
Youth Wing Secretary R Arul, District President Kadhir Rajarathinam and others were arrested for staging a protest in Vellore.