PUDUKKOTTAI: After residents of Kothamangalam village of Alangudi block protested by pelting stones at Deputy Superintendent of Police G Aiyanar leaving him badly injured apart from setting fire to officials' vehicles, more than 100 locals from the village were arrested on Sunday.
The villagers of Kothamangalam staged a road roko on Saturday night as they were frustrated over the damage caused by cyclone Gaja and the delay in officials coming to check on them. Catching whiff of
the protests, tahsildar T Rathnavathi and other officials from the Revenue and Agriculture department arrived at the spot. Arguments ensued and the disgruntled villagers blocked the officials from leaving the venue.
Learning about the situation, DSP Aiyanar came to the protest spot and tried to pacify the protesters. Instead, the situation got out of hand as the locals starting pelting stones at the DSP's vehicle as he was about to enter it. Amidst the chaos, someone from the crowd of protesters hit DSP Aiyanar on the head leaving him with serious injuries. The officials' cars were burnt down by protesters. With things going out of control, the officials started leaving the spot in a hurry.
On Sunday, a team of around 750 police personnel led by Pudukkottai Superintendent of Police S Selvaraj came to the village and arrested the locals for vandalising government vehicles and injuring the DSP with more than 100 locals taken into custody.