Priest among 25 held for gheraoing official over quarrying

A Catholic priest and 24 others were arrested in Ramapuram here today when they staged a protest against quarrying, police said.

Thomas Ayilukkunnel, vicar of a church in Kurinji in Ramapuram panchayat, representatives of local bodies including Jeenas Nath, Mathachan, DCC General Secretary C T Rajan and several anti-quarrying activists were among those arrested.

They were leading an agitation against a quarry operating in Kottamala in Kurinji.

The agitators staged a dharna in front of a village office, allegedly blocking the movement of Pala Revenue Divisional Officer, police said.

The arrested priest and activists were later produced before a local court which remanded them to judicial custody. Protesting against the arrest, the Congress, the BJP and people's movement against anti-quarrying have called for a day-long strike in Ramapuram tomorrow.