VILLUPURAM: Residents of Kulatheebamangalam village near Tirukoilur shut down a TASMAC outlet in the area and held a protest on Thursday after officials failed to take action on their demand to relocated the shop. They later withdrew the protest after officials gave an assurance that the shop would be relocated within a week.
According to a source, the TASMAC outlet was opened in a rented space that belonged to Rajagopal of Kulatheebamangalam near Tirukoilur. Rajagopal and his family lived in a house just behind the outlet.
A few years back, when Rajagopal was looking for an alliance for his son, a proposal was turned down by the bride’s family citing the TASMAC shop as the reason. The villagers also suffered because of the tipsy men, who created a public nuisance. Rajagopal requested TASMAC officials to relocate the shop and also sent petitions to the Chief Minister’s special cell and the Collector. The villagers had organised a protest a month back. At that time, officials promised to relocate the shop. However, no action was taken.
On Thursday, villagers gathered outside the shop and made the staff leave. They then locked the shop. TASMAC officials reached there and assured that they would relocate the shop within a week, after which the protest was withdrawn.