Film producers, traders come to blows over Hey Ram
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

CHENNAI, FEB 22

Tension gripped Parry's Corner area in Chennai this morning as Burma Bazaar traders came to blows with fans of film actor\director Kamal Hassan and Tamil Film Protection Force (TFPF) members.

Traders downed shutters and police arrested five TFPF members -- Baskar (23), Balamurugan (21), Lokesh (20), Elango (25) and Distar Ahmed (21).

The trouble began when the TFPF members raided the shops in search of pirated video CDs of Kamal Hassan's just-released film Hey Ram. The traders in the locality protested against the ``arbitrary'' and ``unauthorised'' action of the TFPF members.

Eyewitnesses said the argument disintegrated into a fight when a group of traders armed with sticks rushed to the rescue of the traders from whose shops some pirated VCDs were allegedly recovered by the TFPF members.

In the melee, more than 20 persons were injured and windscreens of four vehicles damaged. A MTC bus driver Rajan was also injured.

On receiving information, police officials rushed to the spot, dispersed the mob and restored normalcy.

The traders alleged that problems arose due to the rough-and-tumble ways of the TFPF members and that a trader, Sheriff (38) hailing from Salem, was killed in the attack. However, police maintained that the trader had died following a cardiac arrest and had a history of heart attacks.

A police press release appealed to the film industry members not to take law into their own hands and assured that proper action was being taken against traders selling pirated audio and video cassettes and CDs.

Five TFPF members were arrested and three vehicles used by them were impounded.

Meanwhile, Burma Bazaar traders downed their shutters for the day in protest against the attack on their colleagues. However, TFPF president Rajan, who led raid on the traders, alleged that the traders had tried to kill him.

Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.