NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, FEB 14
The peaceful anti-CAA protest of the Islamic organisations in Old Washermanpet in Chennai turned violent by night as policemen used lathi charge and then started forcibly removing the protesters to disperse the crowd on Friday night.
According to the protesters, over 1,000 women and 200 men from various streets in Lalagunda area converged after the prayers on Friday afternoon.
Everything was peaceful till around 5.30 p.m. when police swamped the area in hundreds. “They spoke to the protesters and asked them to stop the protest and disperse. As we did not heed their advise, the police used force to chase us away,” said a protester.
Residents said the protesters sustained injuries in the melee. Over 50 protesters were detained in a marriage hall.
At around 8 p.m, the protesters began to agitate demanding the release of those who were arrested earlier in the evening. As the protesters, who slowly began filling up the narrow streets of the area, refused to budge, the police began removing the protesters forcibly.
The confrontation led to tension, chaos and scuffle. Some policemen were seen beating up and kicking the protesters as they were taken to the police vehicle. There was stone throwing, which was quickly brought under control, said the police.
After a while, the police fell back and the organisers held talks with the senior police officers. Later in the night, the Islamic leaders told the protesters that the police had given assurance that all the arrested would be released and asked the crowd to disperse.
SDPI and the Popular Front of India have condemned the police attack on peaceful protestors later in the night.
SDIP in its release said that the North Chennai District President Mohammed Rashid also arrested by the police. The state president of SDPI Nellai Mubarak and state president of PFI M. Mohammed Ismail demands immediate release of the arrested women and leaders and urged the government to take action against the police officials responsible for the attack on protesters.
