Criminal proceedings against 92 Gaja-hit protestors stayed

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has stayed the criminal proceedings pending against 92 villagers in Vedharanyam and Thalaignayiru in Nagapattinam district, who staged agitations against the alleged inaction on the part of the State government in providing necessary relief.

Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan granted the stay while passing orders on the miscellaneous petitions arising out of criminal original petitions, recently.

“There shall be an order of interim stay and notice,” the judge said on April 30 last.

According to petitioners -- Rajendran and 43 others and R Eniyavan and 47 others, the Gaja cyclone had caused severe damage to four districts in the South, more particularly in Vedaranyam and Thalaignayiru in Nagapattinam district, on November 15 and 16, 2018.

The State machinery did not take any immediate step, as contemplated in the Disaster Management Act. Hence, the affected people resorted to agitations.

Following complaints from the local VAO, the Thalaignayiru police registered two separate cases against the two sets of agitators. Hence, the present petitions were filed by the protesters.