About 120 members of an organization called, People's Power, blocked Mettupalayam Road for close to 20 minutes during peak hour traffic. The group blocked the road after they were stopped by the police from barging into the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) warehouse in Kavundampalayam, just off the main road, to insist on the closure of Tasmacs in the state.
This comes less than five days after 75 people were arrested for trying to get a Tasmac shop that had closed in Anaikatti, reopened. TASMAC authorities in the district, for the first time, bowed down to severe pressure and protests from Kerala tribal women and closed down the wine shop in the border town. Buoyed by the first victory, many groups have also begun protesting to have Tasmac shops closed.
At 10.30am on Wednesday, the group turned up at Kavundampalayam, on Mettupalayam Road, where the warehouse was located. They came shouting slogans and carrying hoardings asking for the closure of Tasmac shops. "Alcohol addiction has destroyed several families," said M Gopinath, a member of People's Power also called "Makkal Athigaram". "We decided to get the Tasmac warehouse closed down because if the warehouse is closed, the Tasmac shops will have to shut down," he said.
The police who had received intelligence about their plan, blocked their entrance into the by lane where the warehouse was located. "This was followed by a scuffle between the police and protesters," said Gopinath.
Unable to storm the warehouse, the protesters blocked the road.
The road block which went on for 20 minutes created a massive traffic blockade. People travelling into the city from places like Narasimanaickenpalayam and Periyanaickenpalayam were delayed by 15 minutes. "There was a huge traffic jam and cars were being allowed to pass by only in one lane," said D Subramaniam, a commuter. "It took almost 25 minutes for the entire jam to clear out even after the protesters were arrested," he said.
This same group ransacked another Tasmac shop on Mettupalayam Road near the Saibaba Temple in August last year. A hundren men and 20 women were arrested on Wednesday morning.
This comes less than five days after 75 people were arrested for trying to get a Tasmac shop that had closed in Anaikatti, reopened. TASMAC authorities in the district, for the first time, bowed down to severe pressure and protests from Kerala tribal women and closed down the wine shop in the border town. Buoyed by the first victory, many groups have also begun protesting to have Tasmac shops closed.
At 10.30am on Wednesday, the group turned up at Kavundampalayam, on Mettupalayam Road, where the warehouse was located. They came shouting slogans and carrying hoardings asking for the closure of Tasmac shops. "Alcohol addiction has destroyed several families," said M Gopinath, a member of People's Power also called "Makkal Athigaram". "We decided to get the Tasmac warehouse closed down because if the warehouse is closed, the Tasmac shops will have to shut down," he said.
The police who had received intelligence about their plan, blocked their entrance into the by lane where the warehouse was located. "This was followed by a scuffle between the police and protesters," said Gopinath.
Unable to storm the warehouse, the protesters blocked the road.
The road block which went on for 20 minutes created a massive traffic blockade. People travelling into the city from places like Narasimanaickenpalayam and Periyanaickenpalayam were delayed by 15 minutes. "There was a huge traffic jam and cars were being allowed to pass by only in one lane," said D Subramaniam, a commuter. "It took almost 25 minutes for the entire jam to clear out even after the protesters were arrested," he said.
This same group ransacked another Tasmac shop on Mettupalayam Road near the Saibaba Temple in August last year. A hundren men and 20 women were arrested on Wednesday morning.