Eighteen injured in clash in TN

Ten persons have been injured when police burst teargas shells and made a lathicharge to disperse members of a backward community who allegedly went on the rampage and threw stones at police personnel near here, police today said.
Eight police personnel, including a DSP and SI, were injured in the stone-pelting.
Police said members of the Perumbidugu Mutharayar Community had thronged the Madhakupatti police station in this district demanding release of five members of their community around midnight yesterday.
Police resorted to lathicharge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd and arrested 98 persons, they said.
Cases against 400 persons was registered today.

Police had arrested five members of the community for organising a function 'Perumbidugu Mutharayar Sathaya Vizha" (Anniversary) without permission.

As news about the arrest spread, hundreds of people from nearby villages gathered in front of the police station and sought their release.
Police said DSP Balamurugan urged the people to disperse but they turned violent and started throwing stones and also ransacked the police station, police said.
The DSP said they also damaged a government transport bus.
DIG Ananthkumar Somani and District Collector Malarvizhi visited the spot today to assess the situation.
Police reinforcements have been sent from Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts,and the situation in the area is under control now, police said.