As many as 650 people were arrested at Anaikatti on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border on Sunday when they attempted to enter the neighbouring state to protest its plan to construct a check dam across Bhavani river.
The agitators wanted to stage a hunger strike at Agali in Kerala, the site for the check dam, which sources claimed would affect water flow to the Kongu region in Tamil Nadu.
Members of the DMK, MDMK, CPI, VCK, KMK, PMK, Adi Tamilar Viduthalai Munnani, Tamil Nadu Vivasayikal Sangam, Tamil Tesiya Viduthalai Iyakkam, Tamil Nadu Kongu Ilaignar Peravai, IJK Vanigar Sangam and Tamil Tesiya Pulikal took part in the protest.
The stir, which kicked off at Anaikatti around 11 am, went on till 2 pm. The agitators raised slogans against the Kerala government, demanding that it drop plans to build the dam.
Although they were denied permission to enter Kerala, around 12.30 pm, the protestors pulled out barriers put up by the TN police and tried to cross the border. However, the waiting security contingent, including over 200 policemen and 20 home guards, managed to stop them from doing so. There was a flutter when the jostling crowd tried to push forward. Finally, around 650 protestors were arrested and detained at the Anaikatti Higher Secondary School. They were released in the evening.
Though bus services along the Coimbatore-Kozhikode and Mettupalayam-Mannarkudi routes were suspended in view of the all-party protest, local shops remained open.
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