Students riled over hike, Marina on police radar
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai: Concerned that protests against the recent bus fare hike have gained momentum among students and youngsters across the state, the government on Tuesday decided to deploy a police contingent at Marina Beach.
The authorities have been uneasy about the sands off Kamarajar Promenade serving as a protest venue since the massive pro-jallikattu agitation last January threatened to spill over from the beach and turn into a serious law and order problem.
By early Tuesday morning, there were policemen guarding the beach’s entry and exit points to prevent protesters from gathering there and officers and constables kept a leery eye out at colleges nearby to intercept groups of students from heading toward Marina. Personnel stopped, questioned and checked clutches of students near the beach to prevent a possible congregation.
“We received intelligence inputs that a group of protesters planned to assemble on Marina Beach,” a police officer said. “We had to take precautionary measures.”
The weeklong pro-jallikattu protests last January ended with a clash between policemen and protesters, following which the city police imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in the vicinity till February 12. At the time, police officers said they were attempting to “preserve peace”. The state transport department, reacting to large numbers of college students reportedly joining in the protest against the increase in bus fares, on Tuesday stated the government does not intend to change the concessional rates for students on buses
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai: Concerned that protests against the recent bus fare hike have gained momentum among students and youngsters across the state, the government on Tuesday decided to deploy a police contingent at Marina Beach.
The authorities have been uneasy about the sands off Kamarajar Promenade serving as a protest venue since the massive pro-jallikattu agitation last January threatened to spill over from the beach and turn into a serious law and order problem.
By early Tuesday morning, there were policemen guarding the beach’s entry and exit points to prevent protesters from gathering there and officers and constables kept a leery eye out at colleges nearby to intercept groups of students from heading toward Marina. Personnel stopped, questioned and checked clutches of students near the beach to prevent a possible congregation.
“We received intelligence inputs that a group of protesters planned to assemble on Marina Beach,” a police officer said. “We had to take precautionary measures.”
The weeklong pro-jallikattu protests last January ended with a clash between policemen and protesters, following which the city police imposed Section 144 of the CrPC in the vicinity till February 12. At the time, police officers said they were attempting to “preserve peace”. The state transport department, reacting to large numbers of college students reportedly joining in the protest against the increase in bus fares, on Tuesday stated the government does not intend to change the concessional rates for students on buses
No comments:
Post a Comment