Patkar meets Marakkanam violence victims

Tense moments prevailed when social activist Medha Patkar today met victims of last month's violence at Marakkanam in Villupuram district allegedly targeting Dalits, despite prohibitory orders clamped there.
Patkar arrived at Marakkanam around 8 AM and attempted to meet the victims, when police informed her about the prohibitory order in force, which disallowed any leader or political party to meet the victims of the April 25 violence, and gave her a copy of it.
Despite several attempts to make her return, the social activist held that the order only prohibited four or more persons from meeting the victims and proceeded to meet them with two of her supporters, police said.

She later left for Kalpakkam near Chennai, sources said.
The violence occurred when supporters of Pattali Makkal Katchi, on their way to attend the annual Chitra Pournami youth congregation at Mamallapuram, allegedly clashed with sections of Dalits, leading to torching of some huts in Marakkanam.
Bus traffic in northern districts in the state was also affected after stone-pelting incidents were reported in the last week of April.
Police had earlier booked cases of rioting, among other charges, under IPC, besides Section 3 of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against 1,512 unidentified persons.