3 Rajiv statues found damaged in TN; 7 held for anti-Cong stir

Miscreants allegedly damaged statues of Rajiv Gandhi in three places here today as seven members of a Tamil outfit were arrested in connection with the clashes at the state Congress office during a protest against Centre's opposition to release of convicts in the case related to assassination of the former prime minister.
Tension prevailed in Vepery, Oteri and Perambur localities here where statues of the former Prime Minister were found damaged today, a day after members of a Tamil outfit clashed with Congressmen.
While local party workers held protests, a peeved TNCC President B S Gnanadesikan said "anti-social organisations" which indulge in violence should be banned, adding his party would press the state government for this.

"We will submit a memorandum to the Governor seeking his intervention on this issue," he said.
Police said K Veeralakshmi and six others of "Tamilar Munnetra Padai" (Tamils Development Force) who clashed with Congress supporters at Satyamurthy Bhavan here were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
Cases under several sections of the IPC including attempt to murder and rioting were slapped on the seven, who had tried to storm the Congress office to condemn the Centre's stand in opposing the state government's decision to release the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

Some persons were injured when stones were pelted by some unidentified persons during the protest.

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram this morning met Congress worker Sarvanan, who is undergoing treatment at Royapettah hospital for injuries suffered in the clash.
In a related incident, miscreants allegedly hurled a petrol bomb at the office of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) at Porur here. However,none was injured in the incident.
NTK had also staged protest outside TNCC office yesterday.
The Youth Congress wing staged a demonstration outside DGP's office here demanding action against persons involved in yesterday's clashes.
It submitted a memorandum to police seeking action against those involved in yesterday's incident besides others such as attack on former party MP R Prabhu's office in Coimbatore.

It demanded adequate security to Rajiv Gandhi statues.