Protests erupt against IPL match in Chennai, 800 arrested

CHENNAI: Politicians, artists, Tamil-enthusiasts and activists took to the streets here on Tuesday over the Cauvery water dispute, demanding that the Indian Premier League (IPL) should not be held in Chennai until the Cauvery Management Board is formed.  The area around MA Chidambaram Stadium became volatile in the evening with protesters  threatening to immolate themselves. Nearly 800 were arrested for burning jerseys, throwing footwear, damaging barricades and even attacking an ambulance. Police personnel were deployed at the stadium since 9 am. Overall, the stadium’s perimeter was coloured by khakhi and rows of yellow barricades.

Early demonstrations
Sporadic protests around the city in the morning, snowballed into massive ones by evening. About five members of Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi jumped in front of Pattabiraman gate of  Chepauk stadium and tried to enter the stadium.About 35 men from Rajini Makkal Mandram wearing black badges demanding formation of Cauvery Management Board staged a road roko near Madras University which is adjacent to the Stadium.

Protesters gathered around Crowne Plaza hotel where the players playing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were staying. As the players left the hotel, the protest moved to Anna Salai - Wallajah Road junction, causing severe traffic jam.The city police arrested around 150 members from VCK after they gathered near Bells Road, Triplicane around 3 pm. Around 10 members of TVK were arrested while attempting to enter the stadium.

Pre-match stir
Members of VCK, SDPI, TVK, TEI, May 17 Movement and other groups raised slogans and started gathering in groups near Anna statue on Anna Salai and Wallajah junction. Thousands of members from different political parties and organisations were protesting on the road.Traffic police stopped the protesters with barricades near the signal close to the Government Multi-Speciality hospital. An ambulance was stuck in between the gathering and the unruly crowd did not seem to bother to give way to the vehicle until the armed police intervened.

Things took a violent turn when Naam Thamizhar Katchi leader Seeman, Directors Bharathiraja, Ameer, Vetri Maran and Lyricist Vairamuthu reached the spot. The protesters pushed through rows of barricades set up by police to march to the stadium, where the match was about to begin.“It is a fight for Cauvery and a fight against police atrocities,” said Vairamuthu.“The struggle for getting Cauvery has been for a long time and we will get it at any cost. This protest will make the government to take every initiative to form CMB. Cauvery is the lifeline of the State,” said Seeman.

As the match was about to begin, the protests became more severe with more and more people being detained by police officers. During the march towards the stadium a member of Naam Thamizhar Katchi allegedly attacked a police personnel in his face for pushing Seeman. The police even used lathi on some protesters. Protesters who burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi were apprehended.

Jerseys burnt 
Protesters stopped a car plying from Triplicane near Triplicane police station and pulled  three men from it and violently removed their T-shirts and burnt them along with PM Modi’s picture.The Chennai Super Kings supporters alleged that the protesters threatened them as they were walking towards the stadium.“We never knew it would be such a bad move from the protesters,” said Gokul, a CSK fan who was on his way to the stadium along with his girlfriend. 

Agitation at the stadium
The first anti-IPL act was when four members of Naam Thamizhar Katchi threw shoes at the ground. The pair of shoes were removed by Faf du Plessis and Ravindra Jadeja. Police removed the members from the stadium. In all, eight members from the party were arrested.Just a few minutes prior to this,  a man wearing black T-shirt started pelting stones inside the stadium and police removed him.