Villagers demand release of panchayat president

Erode: Thousands of villagers took out a rally, despite police denying them permission, demanding the release of Paniampalli panchayat president. The Paniampalli panchayat president P. Sivakumar was arrested on July 8 by the Chennimalai police on charges of attempt to murder and other rigorous sections based on a complaint by Selvaraj. The complainant alleged that he was attacked by the panchayat president.

On the day of his arrest, hundreds of villagers gheraoed the Chennimalai police station and submitted a petition to district collector demanding his immediate release. The public claimed that the police have foisted cases on Sivakumar on false charges.The villagers had announced the rally from Chennimalai Kumaran Square to bus stand, but the police denied permission and the villagers decided to go ahead anyway. To prevent any untoward incidents, a large number of police personnel, roped in from across Erode and Tirupur districts were deployed along the route.

As planned, the villagers gathered at Thottampatty at 10 am to take the 5 km rally upto Chennimalai. A hour later, thousands of public, led by former minister and Erode south district DMK secretary
S. Muthusamy, started to walk towards Chennimalai. As they reached Pallakattuputhur, hundreds of police stopped their rally from proceeding further. Hence the villagers squatted on the Chennimalai-Oothukuli road raising slogans against the police and demanding the release of the panchayat president.

Erode superintendent of police M.R Sibi Chakravarthy held talks with the villagers who then agreed to withdraw their protest. The SP promised to review their demand for the release of the panchayat president.Traffic was affected for more than a hour due to the protest by villagers.