Chennai: Police kept a strict vigil across Tamil Nadu on Saturday on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the Babri mosque demolition, which passed off peacefully in the state, even as protests were held in different parts of the state by both Muslim and Hindu groups.
Police said no untoward incident was reported so far even as about one lakh police personnel, including armed guards, were posted at strategic locations like places of worship, bus terminuses, airports, railway stations and junctions.
Muslim organisations like TMMK, Popular Front of India and Tamil Nadu Thouheed Jamaad held protests in different parts of the state, observing December 6 as 'Black Day,' and condemned the demolition of the centuries-old structure by kar sevaks in 1992.
Muslim protestors, many of them wearing black outfits, raised slogans against the demolition and demanded that a mosque be built at the same place.
Hindu outfit, Hindu Munnani (Hindu Front) staged protests in various parts of the state demanding that a temple for Lord Ram be built there.
Security was stepped up at places of religious worship and railway stations and bus terminus with cops screening passengers and their belongings, police said.
In Chennai, about 18,000 police personnel including senior officials were on duty guarding places where people move in large numbers, they said, adding, patrolling had been intensified while vehicles entering the city were thoroughly checked.
A Madurai report said security was tight around several temples including the Meenashi, Ranganathaswamy, Palani and Rameswaram shrines with armed policemen deployed for frisking pilgrims.
Luggage scanners were used in important railway stations including Madurai and Tiruchirappalli to check baggage. Strict vigil was maintained at the Pamban bridge, bus-stands and government establishments.
At Coimbatore, some workers of Hindu Munnani were taken into custody when they took out a procession as police did not give permission, police said.
Some Shiva Sena workers performed 'angapradakshinam' (rolling over ritual), in front of the Koniamman temple, appealing to government to construct the Ram temple at Ayodhya.
As many as 30 'Indu Makkal Katchi-Vivekananda People Movement' workers, were taken into custody while proceeding to lay siege to the Airport, police said.
