Saffron paint poured on Periyar statue in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: Tension gripped Sundarapuram area in Coimbatore after some unidentified people desecrated the statue of late social activist Periyar E V Ramasamy in the early hours of Friday.
Police said unidentified people poured saffron paint on the statue of Periyar.
Information spread among Periyarists, and more than 20 people gathered at the spot. They demanded action against the people who disrespected the statue.
Deputy commissioner of police (law & order) G Stalin visited the spot and assured them that appropriate action would be taken against the miscreants.
Commissioner of police Sumit Sharan said the Podanur police would register a case. "Our cops are collecting CCTV footages from nearby commercial establishments. We will arrest the people who desecrated the statue," he said.
Police and supporters of Periyar cleaned the statue and removed the saffron paint from it.
Cops wearing personal protective equipment were deployed in front of it.
Police personnel have also been deployed at five more statues of Periyar and three statues of Dr B R Ambedkar in the city.
DMK MLA N Karthik condemned the desecration of the statue and demanded that the police arrest the culprits.