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Bus services hit in southern districts

S. Vijay Kumar

— Photo: G. Moorthy

FALLOUT OF VIOLENCE: Some of the buses that were stoned near Nagamalai in Madurai on Thursday.

MADURAI: The violence in the southern districts that accompanied the bandh called by the All India Forward Bloc to condemn damage caused to freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar’s statue in Madurai saw several buses being targeted.

After drivers attached to the Ponmeni, K. Pudur and Sholavandan depots were injured, TNSTC crew refused to operate services. This forced the authorities to send the buses to the shed. Services on a few routes were maintained with police escort.

Stone throwing was also reported from Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli districts.

On the Madurai-Theni National Highway, where the windshields of more than 25 buses were broken, police personnel were deployed.

At Keelakuyilkudi, a mob installed a 10-foot statue of Thevar in the village. When the police tried to remove it, some people threatened self-immolation.

Deputy Inspector General of Police S.S. Krishnamurthy, Madurai Superintendent of Police T.S. Anbu, and revenue officials held discussions with the villagers. It was decided that the statue would remain covered and a decision on unveiling it would be taken later.

At Usilampatti, motorcycle-borne youths went around stoning buses. “We escorted several buses to their destinations. . Police used mild force to disperse unruly mob at some places,” Mr. Anbu told The Hindu.

TNSTC (Madurai Division) Managing Director, N. Vijayarajan, said: “We will bear the medical expenses of the drivers who were injured. Had the police provided adequate security, we could have operated more buses.”

A woman officer was injured when a mob stoned a patrol vehicle at Nagamalai Pudukottai. A group blocked traffic on the National Highway, demanding the release of those arrested. When a police team led by Sub Inspector Jayasudha arrived, they threw stones, damaging the rear windshield. She was taken to hospital.

District Collector S.S. Jawahar convened a meeting of police officials to explore the possibility of providing wire mesh covers to safeguard the statues of leaders in Madurai.

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