The PDK, a splinter group of the Dravidar Kazhagam, had threatened to burn effigies of Ram and Lakshman tomorrow, to counter the `Ram Lila' held in North India.

Police said permission had not been granted to the `Ravana Lila' and this evening's `conference' on the subject. The activists were picked up as soon as they assembled near the auditorium.

The Madras High Court had yesterday directed the police to take, ``appropriate steps to ensure that there was no breach of public order caused by activities that might hurt religious sentiments.'' The Temple Worshippers' Forum had moved a public interest litigation in this regard.

The PDK subscribes to the radical Dravidian view that the Ramayana represents the fight between Aryans and Dravidians, and deems the symbolic destruction ofRavana during `Ram Lila' as an affront to Dravidian culture.

Later, a police press release said 10 PDK activists, including its executive committee member `Viduthalai' Rajendran, were arrested.

They were charged under Section 143 of the Indian Penal Code (unlawful assembly), Section 41 (a) of the City Police Act and Section 7 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act (violating prohibitory orders).

It said Rajendran and the others were staging a demonstration near the meeting venue to protest against the denial of permission for the meeting and the `Ravana Lila'.