more-in MADURAI: Human rights organisations based in Madurai have condemned the police attack on pro-jallikattu protesters and the public in Chennai, Madurai and other places in the State on Monday. In a statement, People’s Watch said that men, women, children, physically challenged persons, fishing community and Dalits had been injured in the use of force by the police throughout the State. The organisation alleged that activist R.S. Mugilan, who participated in the protests in Alanganallur, was brutally attacked by the police on Monday. People’s Watch also blamed the police for foisting cases on students and youngsters who participated in the protest in Alanganallur and other places. The organisation criticised the State government for its “failure” to make earnest attempts to explain the ordinance reviving jallikattu to the protesters, which could have helped in ending the protests peacefully. Condemning police action as a violation of human rights, it appealed to the National Human Rights Commission to intervene. C.J. Rajan, State president, Samam Kudimakkal Iyakkam, who conducted independent enquiries in Alanganallur and interacted with those detained by the police, said that the local youngsters detained were harassed by the police. Though a majority of locals had been let off, he alleged that a considerable number of youngsters, who participated in the protests from outside Madurai, had been beaten up in detention by the police. “It has been more than a day since they detained the youngsters. However, the police are still refusing to give a clear account of how many had been arrested,” he said. “Had the police, who maintained restraint for the past one week, were patient for some more time, the violence could have been completely avoided,” he said.

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