Madurai, Apr 20: City police arrested about 600 "dismissed" Salai Paniyalargal (road workers), who were on fast near the Tamukkam grounds, for allegedly indulging in violence and damaging two mini-buses today. However the Salai Paniyalargal Association president Shanmugaraja denied that they pelted stones at the two buses and said police had enacted the "stone pelting drama" and arrested them to break the strike. He said that video would show who was at fault. Police said that violence at the fast venue erupted after the road workers pelted stones at the mini-buses after two of the passengers inside a bus criticised the agitation. Two buses parked in the area were damaged in the stone pelting. There was a heated exchange between the police and the roadworkers. Later they were arrested.

Bureau Report