Activist Piyush held for 'instigating' villagers against green

Environmental activist Piyush Manush has been arrested on charges of 'instigating' a section of villagers in Salem district against the proposed Greenfield corridor project connecting Salem and Chennai, police said today.

The activist had visited three villages in that district on May 3 along with Tamil film actor Mansoor Ali Khan and had made a 'provocative speech' against the project.

Piyush allegedly incited people, particularly farmers of these villages to protest against the project, they said.

The actor had also allegedly threatened to kill eight people if the state government went ahead with the same, they added.

A case was registered against Piyush, as accused number one and Khan as accused number two in this connection.

Piyush was arrested late last night at Omalur in Salem district under sections 506 (ii) criminal intimidation, 189 (threat of injury to public servant) 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), police said.

Khan was already arrested in Chennai and lodged in Salem central prison.

In a related development, a woman social activist Valarmathi was arrested today, when she along with a few villagers attempted to lay siege to revenue officials, who had come to measure the land meant to be acquired for the project near Achanguttapatti on the outskirts of Salem, where the proposed road begins.

The 23-year old woman is a post graduate student of journalism of Periyar University in Salem.

Valarmathi was arrested on July 12 last year when she, along with another student, were allegedly distributing pamphlets, seeking support for a protest against the implementation of a proposed hydrocarbon project in Pudukottai district.