Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday said police resorted to “minimum use of force” to disperse protesters agitating against “leak” in ONGC pipeline at Kathiramangalam in Thanjavur only after they refused to leave the site and pelted stones at the security personnel.
Responding to a special call attention moved by Opposition DMK and Congress in the Assembly on the incident that happened on Friday, Mr Palaniswami said the villagers resorted to violence on Friday by setting on fire hay and some other materials that were lying on the road.
The Chief Minister refused to accept the demands made by MLAs that cases filed against locals is withdrawn. In his detailed statement, Mr Palaniswami said the situation in the village in Thanjavur district was “calm” and adequate police personnel have been deployed as a precautionary measure.
Explaining about the Friday incident, he said about 150 villagers of Kathiramangalam held a protest by holding dharna on the main road in the village alleging that there was a “leak” on an ONGC pipeline on Kathiramangalam-Panthanallur road, much before officials from ONGC, police and revenue departments rushed to the spot.
“The villagers squatted on the road and prevented ONGC officials from entering the village besides demanding that the district collector rushes there,” Mr Palaniswami said, adding that the protesters did not listen to the appeal of the district revenue officer and police officers.
“They set on fire hay and some other material lying on the road near a gas pipe. Some of them also hurled stones at cops, injuring three police personnel including an inspector, besides a local villager. One police vehicle also suffered damage.
“Police used minimum force to disperse villagers after asking them to peacefully disperse, even as the villagers continued pelting stones and resorted to violence,” Mr Palaniswami told the Assembly.
