Koodankulam tense, cops step up security

TIRUNELVELI: With the announcement of the hunger strike at Idinthakarai near Koodankulam on Sunday, police have initiated preventive measures by detaining a few persons, according to informed sources. It may be noted that anti-nuclear activists have organised a hunger strike at Idinthakarai on Sunday, demanding closure of Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in which around 20,000 are expected to participate. Sensing trouble, the police detained five men on Saturday. Following the detention, women blocked road near the bus stand in Koodankulam and police officials are negotiating with the agitators.Anti-nuclear activist SP Udayakumar told Express that due to improper handling of the KKNPP issue by the police, all coastal villages and Koodankulam are tense now. “They have refused permission to conduct the hunger strike but we will go on with out stir,”  he said. According to sources, police manhandled a person by detaining him on Saturday and around 500 women sat in protest near the bus stand at Koodankulam. They also added that they were demanding that five leaders of the movement should go to the Koodankulam police station for talks.A policeman of Koodankulam when contacted by 8 pm, said that the situation is peaceful in Koodankulam and claimed that there was no detention or road roko.  Attempts to reach Tirunelveli SP Vijayendra S Bidari, who is said to be at Koodankulam to pacify the agitators failed and all other police officials were tightlipped on this matter.