Booderi Palavakkam village has three irrigation tanks -Sitheri, Booderi and Periyaeri. As all tanks were full, a farmer Ayyasamy (45) of the same village annoyed that surplus water from the Booderi tank was inundating his fields preventing any chances of raising another crops shortly, hired an earthmover to create a breach in the tank.

The earthmover made a 30 feet wide opening in the Booderi tank resulting in the water flowing out of the facility. Local residents informed PWD officials who rushed to the spot and inspected the breach on Wednesday.

Officials complained to Moranam police that Ayyasamy and his accomplices had wantonly created a breach and wasted stored water without permission from the PWD. Police arrested Ayyasamy and the earthmover owner Devendran (40) of the same village and are searching for the operator Pratap (22).