Chennai, June 18 (BPNS)
With the ongoing Agnipath row targeting railway stations and trains, Southern Railway has beefed up security in all major stations including Chennai Central, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, Jholarpet, Arkonam, and other stations.
Tamika Nadu police have cordoned off the main road in Chennai leading to the Army officers mess and other army installations. Mild protests are being witnessed at Kancheepuram and Kumbakonam areas.
The Tamil Nadu police are also on high alert over intelligence inputs that several youths from Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar are employed in the garment units of Tiruppur and these youths could lead some attacks against railway stations and railway properties in the wake of arson and burning of trains in North Indian states. It may be noted that a youth was killed in police firing at Secundrabad following protests on Friday and hence Tamil Nadu police and Railway Protection Force are not taking any chances.
Riot control vehicles are on standby at major railway stations and the Fire force is also being alerted on all major railway station premises.
In a related development, trains have been canceled from Chennai central railway station due to the Agnipath issue.
While Tamil Nadu is relatively calm over the Agnipath issue and except for Tiruppur, there has not been any other instance of any protests in the state. In Tiruppur, protestors shouted slogans and left without causing any damage to properties. However, security forces are on high alert following intelligence inputs, both central and state, that possibility of violence touching the shores of Tamil Nadu is not remote.
