Chennai: The police conducted a minor lathi-charge on DMK cadres outside Kauvery hospital, on Tuesday night.
The DMK cadres, who were maintaining the utmost peace even though thousands gathered near the hospital for 11 days, erupted in anger after the government released orders denying Marina for M. Karunanidhi. They raised slogans demanding a spot for their leader to lay him rest in Marina Beach.
Some angry cadres started to damage barricades forcing the police to resort to the minor lathi-charge to chase them away.
Also, the DMK cadres across the state staged protests against the government’s decision and demanded permission to conduct the funeral at Marina where his leader Annadurai rests in peace.
Meanwhile, minor stone pelting incidents were reported in the city and other parts of the state, in which an MTC bus was attacked near Red Hills.
Police force helps keep peace
For the past 11 days, DMK president M. Karunanidhi was not the only man who battled with life but the city police were in the fore controlling crowds and emotions of the party cadres before Kauvery hospital in Alwarpet, where the leader was being treated.
It all started in the wee hours of the July 28 after the five-time Chief Minister was admitted to Kauvery Hospital for fever. Thousands of party cadres started to assemble before the hospital located on the arterial TTK Road.
The next day, cadres from all over the state started to visit the hospital and waited all day and night eating, sleeping on the roads.
Every time, the news of his deteriorating health made rounds, the cadres erupted and become vulnerable to violence but they stood together and gathered themselves.
The police force deserved praise for managing the traffic well by making necessary diversions.
According to police sources, the leaves sanctioned to the police personnel were cancelled after Karunanidhi’s health started to deteriorate.
“The entire force of city police comprising over 22,000 police personnel were on stand-by,” a source said. Also, police personnel from other districts were mobilised to reinforce security in the city. No untoward incident was reported for the 11 days.
The police arrested 13 persons for picking pockets of DMK cadres assembled near the hospital.
At the same time, DGP T.K. Rajendiran had issued orders, on Tuesday, to SPs, commissioner to galvanise the available force to report to the duty immediately in uniform for ‘urgent law and order bandobust’.
