DMK cadre detained near Minister’s house

Over 750 DMK cadre were taken into custody after they attempted to lay siege to Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar’s house at Illupur in Pudukottai district on Saturday.

Mr. Vijaya Baskar represents the Viralimalai constituency in the district and hails from Illupur village.

With the Madras High Court ordering a CBI probe into the gutkha scam, the DMK has been vociferously demanding the resignation of the accused in the case.

A group of DMK cadre staged a demonstration in Pudukottai on Friday, calling upon the Minister to resign from the post.

On Saturday, a large number of party cadre, led by S. Regupathy and Siva Meyyanathan, Tirumayam and Alangudi MLAs respectively, assembled at Illupur and marched towards Mr. Vijaya Baskar’s house. However, they were stopped near the bus stand and taken into custody.

Protest to continue

Mr. Regupathy told The Hindu that his party’s agitation demanding the Minister’s resignation would continue.

The police said that as many 765 DMK cadre courted arrest and all of them were accommodated in a marriage hall.

Security had been tightened in the village, with R. Lalitha Lakshmi, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Tiruchi Range, camping in the area.