Delta district farmers strike for water

Trichy: Police arrested hundreds of farmers along with political leaders like MDMK general secretary Vaiko, Communist Party leaders G Ramakrishnan (Marxist) and R Mutharasan (CPI) while they attempted to stage rail roko across delta district protesting against the failure of the state and central governments to secure water for irrigation from Karnataka as per the Supreme Court order.

As per the decision taken a few weeks ago to hold protests across the districts such as Trichy, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur and Cuddalore, a number of farmers and functionaries of farmers’ bodies along with political leaders and cadre staged the agitation on Sunday.

As per the announcement made by MDMK leader Vaiko, to support the protest earlier, he staged a protest at Thanjavur railway station by blocking Cholan express along with former DMK minister Palani Manickam, DMK MLA Durai Chandrasekaran and functionaries from the farmers’ wing of both Communist Parties Durai Manickam and Shanmugam. A police team headed by superintendent of police Senthilkumar arrested them. A total of 387 protestors were arrested in Thanjavur and Kumbakonam by the police.

Similar protest was also held in various places in Tiruvarur district. At a rail roko held at Koradacherry in the district, state secretary of CPI R Mutharasan led the protest. A large number of farmers along with Mutharasan, DMK MLA Aadalarasan and others were arrested by the police.

In Trichy, 380 protestors including the CPI (M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan were arrested by the police while they attempted to block Jan Shatabdi express at Trichy railway junction. Earlier police blocked all of them while they tried to enter into the main entrance of the station. Following that they started agitation by laying half naked on the road.