By IANS,
Pasumpon (Tamil Nadu) : Angry supporters of AIADMK chief J. Jayalalitha pelted stones at police after failing to get a better view of their leader during a rally here Thursday. The police resorted to baton charge to control the crowd.
Jayalalitha, however, was able to leave the place unharmed, police officials told IANS.
According to police sources, supporters of Jayalalitha jostled for a better view of their leader and had to be forced back due to heightened security concerns following a threat to her life received by e-mail from an overseas pro-Tamil Tiger organisation Wednesday.
Already restive due her delayed arrival, the crowd became unmanageable and began pelting stones at the police resulting in a cane charge and bursting of teargas shells.
Over 20 AIADMK supporters and five policemen were injured. Five vehicles were also damaged, police sources revealed.
Some stones landed on Jayalalitha’s vehicle, eyewitnesses said.
Jayalalitha had travelled here to pay homage to Forward Bloc leader Muthuramalinga Thevar on his 101st birth anniversary.
Meanwhile, in state capital Chennai 500 km north of here, the Madras High Court adjourned the hearing to Nov 5 on a writ petition filed by the AIADMK seeking extra protection for its leader following a death threat from an extremist organisation.
Government sources told IANS that judge M. Jayachandran adjourned the case after the court was informed that adequate protection was already made available to Jayalalitha and that detailed information would be made available to her over the weekend.
AIADMK lawyer Navaneethakrishnan, however, informed the court that while the protection was not adequate, Jayalalitha was kept in the dark about the security measures.