Coimbatore: The city police arrested two men from Telungupalayam on Monday for possession of 60kg banned tobacco products.
The arrested people were identified as K Sathishkumar of Vinayagar Kovil Street at Kuniyamuthur, a goods autorickshaw driver, and C Singadurai of Ponnaiahrajapuram, an electrician.
“They used to sell pan masala and other tobacco products in the auto rickshaw. When M Vasanthakumar of KK Colony in PN Pudur told them not to sell the products in the area, they attacked him and threatened him with dire consequences. Vasanthakumar alerted the Selvapuram police. Inspector D Jayakumar and team arrested the duo and seized 60kg pan masala worth Rs 1.50 lakh and the autorickshaw,” a police officer said.
The duo was booked under sections 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words in or near any public place), 506 (ii) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and section 24 (i) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003. They were remanded in judicial custody and were lodged in the Pollachi sub-jail.