CHENNAI: The government had photographic evidence of protestors displaying pictures of slain jihadist Osama Bin Laden and placards stating that they would denigrate Republic Day, Chief Minister Mr. O Panneerselvam said here today. The Chief Minister gave a detailed report on Police action during the recent protests in the Assembly and said the protestors carried placards that said, “I was dead”, CM said. Mr O Panneerselvam added, though original jallikattu leaders including Karthikeya Sivasenapathy, Ambalathu Arasar, Hip Hop Tamilzha Adhi and Raajasekaran called on protesters to end the agitation as the ordinance and later the law signalled victory, anti-national and anti-social elements who had infiltrated the protesters had converted the peaceful protest into a violent one, the CM said responding to Opposition leader Stalin’s charge of using excessive Police force. Police used restrained force and fired tear gas to disperse 12,500 protestors from 76 locations in Chennai and 10,000 protesters left the Marina after persuasion by Police but 2,000 stayed back, the CM added. During this time the anti-social elements pelted stones at the Police and threw Molotov cocktails into the Ice House Police station and set on fire in which 31 two-wheelers, two four-wheelers and an auto rickshaw were being burnt. Problem started at Nadukuppam when protestors stoned the Police. 142 police personnel were injured in Chennai protest and 66 cases were registered and 215 persons remanded to custody. Another 114 cases were registered for blocking road and rail traffic and in other parts of Tamil Nadu, 146 cases were registered, the CM added. ]]>
