MADURAI: The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has moved a petition before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday seeking permission to conduct a memorial meeting in Ambasamudram for the 17 labourers who died in the Manjolai massacre in July 1999.
N Beemarao, union secretary of VCK in Ambasamudram, in the petition, said that on July 23, 1999, a large number of labourers from tea estates of Manjolai staged a protest over various demands, including better wages. "As police began lathi-charge, the protestors were forced to jump into a river. At least 17 labourers died," he said.
To pay homage to the victims, the party has planned to organise a public meeting in Ambasamudram on July 31 but the Ambasamudram police denied permission for the same, Beemarao added.