The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, July 3, 2001,
Chandigarh, India

M A I N N E W S

Cabinet to meet today
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 2
The meeting of the Union Cabinet which was scheduled for this evening to discuss the situation in Tamil Nadu following the arrest of the former Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi has been postponed for tomorrow. Official sources said the meeting was postponed to enable the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, to attend the crucial meeting.

Mr Advani, who has been away on an official visit to Turkey, is at present in Dubai and is expected to arrive here late tonight or early tomorrow morning. He, however, has been keeping in touch with the officials here. He is also reported to have spoken to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the convener of the National Democratic Alliance and former Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes.

Mr Fernandes was leader of the three-member team which was rushed to Tamil Nadu after the arrest of the former Chief Minister and two Union Ministers belonging to the DMK.

The meeting was expected to consider the report of the special fact-finding team of the Ministry of Home Affairs which was also rushed to the state.

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

1 killed, 4000 held in TN bandh

Chennai, July 2
One person was killed and about 145 buses damaged in sporadic incidents of stone-throwing during the dawn-to-dusk Tamil Nadu bandh called by the NDA today, to condemn the arrest of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and two Union Ministers.

Top police sources said nearly 4000 persons were taken in preventive custody in the entire state.

A 50-year-old man who was travelling in a bus was injured when some miscreants pelted stones in Mayanur, near Kulithalai in Karur District. He was rushed to Government Hospital where he died.

In Cuddalore, the police fired two rounds in the air to disperse DMK workers, led by former DMK minister M.R.K Panneerselvam, who blocked the road demanding the arrests of AIADMK workers who had allegedly pelted stones at them.

Sporadic incidents of torching and stoning of government buses, picketing and road roko marked the 12-hour bandh, which evoked a partial response.

DMK General Secretary K. Anbazhagan, claimed that the bandh was a “total success”.

The state government said there was “no significant” incident of law and order in the state adding the overall situation was ‘normal and peaceful’.

A private bus proceeding from Vadalur to Tirukoilur was set ablaze at Semakottai on the Villupuram-Cuddalore border by an irate crowd.

Some stone-pelting incidents at buses and road rokos were reported from Madurai, Coimbatore and other districts. In the Union Territory of Pondicherry, no untoward incidents were reported and the bandh passed off peacefully. PTI