DMK cadre block road, protest against arrest of party orator

Sampath was the chief speaker in the demo held to condemn the alleged delay in schemes taken up by the Local Administration Minister S P Velumani. Since no permission was obtained for the meeting, police arrested Sampath, leading to the protest by the DMK cadre. 

The partymen blocked a police vehicle and indulged in a scuffle with the lawmen. Sampath said the days of the AIADMK rule were numbered and DMK, under its president M K Stalin, would form the government in another three months when the Assembly elections were due. 

On waiver of agricultural loans, the Minister said this was a long-pending demand of Stalin and it was nothing but a move by DMK party to return to power. The road blockade lasted for more than two hours, resulting in a traffic problem and policemen removed over 300 party workers. Meanwhile, a DMK senior functionary Mohammed Yasin fainted at the scene and was hospitalised.