By IANS,
Chennai : The toll in police firing on a Dalit mob in Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district rose to six with one more person succumbing to his injuries early Monday, police said, adding that tension continued in the area.
The mob, indulging in arson and stone pelting Sunday, was protesting the detention of TMMK founder John Pandian at Paramakudi, about 450 km from here. He was detained when he was on his way to participate in Dalit leader Emmanuel Sekaran’s memorial celebrations.
Tension continued to prevail in Paramakudi Monday as some schools declared a holiday while buses stayed off roads in some areas.
“The situation is tense. Till the bodies are handed over to the relatives, this situation would prevail,” a police officer told IANS.
According to him, some 30 policemen were admitted in hospitals for injuries suffered in the incident.
Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa announced Rs.100,000 compensation for the kin of each of the dead.
Jayalalithaa said police had prohibited Pandian from entering the district in order to maintain law and order in Ramanathapuram.
“As he defied the prohibitory orders, the Tuticorin police arrested him,” she said.
Leaders of various political parties have demanded a detailed enquiry into the police firing.
In another incident Sunday, police in Madurai had resorted to firing to disperse a mob demanding Pandian’s release. No one was killed.
Speaking to IANS, a police officer in Madurai said the situation was under control.