2000 TMMK Peoples Arrested
Over 2,000 people belonging to Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) and Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamaat (TNTJ) were arrested on Saturday when they attempted to stage rail roko and demonstration defying a ban in various places in Coimbatore and neighbouring Tirupur districts demanding rebuilding of the Babri Masjid, demolished in 1992.
Police also arrested 730 people belonging to various Hindu outifts in the district for trying to stage demonstrations in support of construction of Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Tamil Nadu Government had banned any sort of protests on the occasion of the anniversary. Police said over 500 TMMK activists were taken into custody when they were proceeding to stop trains at the city railway station, while 390 workers were arrested in nearby Podanur for a similar reason, police said.
About 650 workers of TMMK and 450 activists of TNTJ were arrested for attempting to stage demos in Tirupur and Pollachi, defying regulatory orders, they said. Security was tight in the communally sensitive district, with armed guards keeping vigil at city airport, places of worship, vital government installations, bus stand and places of large public congregation.
Blackflags were hoisted in some places by Indian National League as part of the day being observed as 'black day.' A Madurai report said 400 members of the TNTJ were arrested there when they staged a demonstration in front of the railway junction. A total of 34 activists of Hindu Youth Federation were held for staging a demonstration for 'retrieval' of Mathura and Kasi temples.
