Southern States - Tamil Nadu

DPI members held for assaulting policemen

By Our Special Correspondent

SALEM March 24. Five members of the Dalit Panthers of India were arrested at Athur, near here, today on charges of "unruly behaviour within the police station and assaulting the Inspector, Sub-Inspector and two sentries".

The DPI men were alleged to have broken the glass top on the Inspector, Santhanapandian's table, hurled a paperweight at him and torn his uniform. They also manhandled the Inspector.

When some policemen joined the fracas, the police station witnessed a free-for-all. The DPI members were then overpowered and remanded to custody.

The DIG, I. Raja, deputed the SP, K. Shanmugavel, to inquire into the matter. Mr. Shanmugavel told The Hindu that the DPI members were angry with the Reserve Sub-Inspector (Traffic), Annadurai, as he had removed some autorickshaws which were hindering the free flow of traffic on Sunday morning. In the afternoon, some DPI members, led by Russia Ravi and Muthu, came to the police station and started behaving in an unruly manner.

Mr. Muthu asked Mr. Santhanapandian why the DPI had been denied permission to take out a procession at Ethapur on March 27. When the Inspector was explaining the situation, Mr. Annadurai entered the station.

On sighting the RSI, Mr. Muthu and the others ransacked the station. In the subsequent fracas, police personnel as well as the DPI men sustained minor injuries. They were later taken to the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital for treatment.

The DPI leader, Thirumavalavan, criticised the manner in which members of his organisation were treated. He also objected to the "denial of immediate medical treatment to the injured".

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