By TCN News,
Chennai: Two people were reportedly killed in the police firing that followed clashes between the police and a group of Dalits in Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu today.
Different Dalit organizations had organised programmes in places like Kamudi and Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram to observe the 55th death anniversary of Dalit leader Immanuel Sekharan which fell on Sunday. Problems came up following the detention of John Pandian, president of the Thamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, when he was on his way to attend the programme at Paramakudi.
A group of Dalits reportedly took to the streets and blocked traffic protesting against the detention of Pandian. When police came to disperse the mob, they were reportedly greeted with stone-pelting. Several policemen including a DIG and SI were injured and two police vehicles were set on fire. When the mob could not be controlled even after breaking tear gas shells, the police took to firing which killed two persons, according to reports.
There are also fears of one more death in the police firing.
The protest has also spread to the adjoining district Madurai, where two persons have been reportedly seriously injured in police firing and the mob pelted stones at state buses.