Protest against the installation of the statue of EVR Periyar
On Tuesday, a 30 year old man allegiance to the Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK), commit suicide by jumping from a 100 feet cell phone tower at Ramanathapuram. Prabhu threatened to end his life by jumping off the tall tower if the government did not reconsider its stand on the statue of the retionalist unveiled in front of the temple. He said that this was to protest against the installation of the statue of EVR Periyar in front of the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple.
Prabu alias “Colony” Prabhu, of SIHS colony, Arulmurugan Nagar near Ondipudur, said to be a member of the Hindu Makkal Katchi climped up a cell phone tower drawing a large audience of about 500 people including policemen and media persons.
Police and the fire and rescue service personnel reached the spot. Although the policemen and the media tried to convince him to give up his plan for more than three hours, they failed to convince him. The reporters asked him to descend to hear the reason for his unusual protest. when Prabhu came down a few steps to give them the information, they asked him to descend further as he was still inaudiable.
Prabhu had a mobile phone on his hand. On seeing a mobile phone in his hand, the reporters asked him to give them his cell number so that they could talk to him more clearly. The reporters then handed over the number to the police. they spoke to him for about 45 minutes and persuaded him to come down the tower. After a two hour struggle the police finally managed him to bring down. The moment he descended the police arrested him. A case has been registered at the B7 police station and investigation is on.
