Press Trust of India Posted online: Monday, December 06, 2004 at 1342 hours IST Updated: Monday, December 06, 2004 at 1406 hours IST
Chennai, December 6: Hundreds of volunteers of Muslim organisations, including Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, were taken into custody as they attempted to stage demonstrations on the anniversary of Babri mosque demolition across Tamil Nadu, defying a ban.
In Chennai, more than 600 volunteers, including a large number of women, were taken into custody when they tried to hold a demonstration near the head post office. The demonstrators were led by TMMK general secretary S Hyder Ali.
In Coimbatore 1,000 TMMK activists were taken into custody while they were proceeding to demonstrate at two places in the city, defying ban orders.
Similarly, nearly 300 volunteers had assembled near the city bus stand there to stage a protest were also taken into custody.
Activists were also taken into custody at Salem, Erode and Thanjavur, according to information reaching Chennai.
Elaborate security arrangements had been made throughout the state and nearly a lakh of police personnel had been deployed. Important places, including railway stations, bus stands and places of worship had come under thick security cover.
While nearly 10,000 policemen had been deployed in Chennai, over 3,000 were deployed at Coimbatore.
