Farmers held for protest against Kerala govt move

Erode: More than 500 farmers were detained briefly for staging a road-roko at six places in the district today, protesting the construction of a check dam across Bhavani river by the Kerala government.

Farmers of Malayampalayam, Sivagiri, Kaspapet, Modakurichi, Kodumudi and Sathyamangalam blocked the roads pressing their demand, police said.
They were taken into custody and released later.

However, the farmers' appeal to traders to down shutters to extend support to their protest went unheeded as shops and business establishments functioned as usual.