Date:31/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/31/stories/2008103160370300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Processions mark Thevar jayanthi

Special Correspondent

Goripalayam, the cynosure of all eyes since morning

— Photo: G. Moorthy.

Sea of humanity: Numerous persons assembled near Muthuramalinga Thevar statue in the city on Thursday.

MADURAI: Various outfits took out processions and conducted meetings to celebrate the 101st jayanthi of Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar in the city on Thursday.

Political party functionaries, accompanied by a large number of cadres, garlanded the Thevar statue at the Goripalayam junction.

Police said that permission had been granted for public meetings at Sellur, Bethaniapuram, Jhansi Rani Park, T. M. Court and Goripalayam Pallivasal for different outfits.

Large posse of policemen, including senior officers, monitored the processions taken out from various points in the city.

Since forenoon, traffic on the Albert Victor Bridge moved at a snail’s pace since a large number of women took out “mulaipari” processions as part of the celebrations.

Traffic diversions at many stretches slowed down vehicular movement in the evening at Goripalayam, Kamarajar Salai, Alagarkoil Road, Teppakulam, Arasaradi and Arapalayam, among other arterial intersections.

Following traffic diversion and processions by different outfits, many educational institutions had closed well in advance as a precautionary measure by 2 p.m., police said.

Thevar hailed

Speakers at a meeting recalled the sacrifices of Muthuramalinga Thevar and urged the youth to disseminate the ideals of the late leader to the masses.

Many youth drove their two-wheelers in a rash and negligent manner. Similarly, in the evening, participants in the celebration were found moving on top of vehicles causing anxiety among other road users.

The Director General of Police K. P. Jain, during his visit to Pasumpon, a few days ago, told reporters that vehicles which carried persons on rooftop would be impounded. Policemen would be deployed at vantage points to check on this, he stressed. A senior police officer in Madurai City Police said that they would take action against those who travelled on rooftops of vehicles.