Vaiko and partymen arrested

COIMBATORE: MDMK general secretary Vaiko and about 900 partymen were arrested today when they attempted to stage a 'rail roko' to protest against giving away Pollachi and Kinathukadavu to Palakkad Division in Kerala as part of a compromise formula to resolve the Salem Division issue.

Vaiko and about 350 workers squatted on the railway track at the Pollachi railway station, about 40 KMs from here, and stopped the movement of Podanur-Dindigul train around 10 AM, following which they were arrested, police said.

Earlier, more than 500 workers, in two batches were arrested for attempting to stop two trains at the same station, they said.

The workers raised slogans against the decision to take away the 79 KM Palakkad-Pollachi-Kinathukadavu stretch, which is at present in Madurai Divison, and hand over it to Palakkad Division, as a compromise formula to include Coimbatore and Tirupur in the newly-created Salem Division.

The protesters demanded that the area be retained in Madurai Division or included in Salem Division.

MDMK has decided to take out a procession in Pollachi on Oct five and a door-to-door campaign in and around Kinathukadavu and Anamalai for four days from Oct 25 against the decision, party sources said.