Tiruchy: Fans unveil Sivaji Ganesan's statue on the sly, cops cover it up

Tiruchy: Tension prevailed for some at the busy Palakarai area in Tiruchy on Thursday, when a section of late film actor Sivaji Ganesan's fans led by All India Sivaji Fans Association vice-president Srinivasan, unveiled a life-size bronze statue of the thespian, which was installed way back during the earlier DMK regime in 2007.

The 18-ft statue was erected on a eight-ft high peedam (base) and the authorities also erected a traffic island in that area. Despite repeated efforts by Sivaji fans, the AIADMK government had not permitted the opening of the statue.

Meanwhile, Mr. Srinivasan in his petition to the Gandhi market police sought permission to declare open the statue, but the police declined to give the nod this time also.

Embittered by it, a group of Sivaji fans led by Mr. Srinivasan declared open the statue in the wee hours and garlanded it. On information, police rushed to the spot and covered the statue by with a plastic sheet.