Kallakurichi (Tamil Nadu): Violence broke out on Sunday in the Kallakurichi district of Tamil Nadu as protesters demanding justice over the death of a girl student went on a rampage setting fire to vehicles and indulging in stone pelting, in which police personnel also became the target.
The agitators stormed the premises of a school in nearby Chinnasalem town and set buses parked inside the institution's premises on fire and attacked police personnel as well, police said. Some of them set ablaze a police bus. Outnumbered for a while, the efforts of police to disperse the protesters proved futile.
The protesters pelted stones at the police who responded by firing in the air. The agitators also burnt a vehicle. The agitators, pushing down barricades put up by the police, stormed the premises of an 'international' school at nearby Chinnasalem and set buses parked inside the institution's premises on fire, police said.
Police personnel from nearby districts started to arrive as part of measures to tackle the situation. A chunk of agitators had a free run and indulged in vandalism inside the school premises. Some of them took away things like furniture and almirah from the school, damaged them and set them on fire on the road.
The protesters include volunteers of a youth outfit and they had gathered in huge numbers following messages in social media urging solidarity for justice. While agitators pelted stones at police, several uniformed personnel picked up the stones and threw them back at the mob. The violence, which began as a 'road blockade protest' on Sunday, resulted in traffic disruptions on the arterial Chennai-Salem highway.
Chief Minister M K Stalin appealed to the people to maintain peace and assured them that those guilty would be punished. Stalin tweeted saying he has directed top officials to rush to Kallakurichi. The Inspector General of Police, Pandyan has also reached the spot and a heavy police posse is deployed in the area.
Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu appealed to the people to maintain calm and warned against resorting to violence. Tough action would be taken against those indulging in violence, he told reporters in Chennai. A 17-year-old girl, studying Class 12 in a private residential school in Chinnasalem, about 15 km from here was found dead on July 13 on the hostel premises.
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The girl, an inmate of a room on the third floor of the hostel was suspected to have ended her life by jumping to the ground from the top floor. A post-mortem report indicated that she had sustained injuries before her death. Police registered a case and a probe is on. Shocked by her death, her parents, relatives and people belonging to her village Periyanasalur, off Veppur in the Cuddalore district have been staging non-stop protests seeking justice.
In the suicide note, the student had alleged abuse by two teachers. Inspector General of Police, Pandyan told the media persons that the two teachers, who were allegedly named in the suicide note, were questioned but they were not arrested. The striking students wanted the police to immediately arrest the teachers.
Blaming the school authorities and seeking action against them they held a protest here on July 16 for the fourth successive day. Their demands include a CB-CID probe and the arrest of those responsible for the girl's death. Their demands have the support of a political outfit and the youth wing of a Left party. (with Agency inputs)
