CHENNAI – Massive anti-IPL protests erupted here on Tuesday with scores ofactivists including film directors being detained even as police chasedaway agitators in some places.
One incident of protesters burning yellow jerseys, the attire of CSKplayers, was witnessed.
Two activists belonging to a pro-Tamil outfit threw slippers into theground when the CSK-KKR match linklink>wasin progress at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, police said.
However, the match went on and the activists belonging to Naam Tamizhar,detained. The slippers fell near CSK fielder Ravindra Jadeja who wasfielding at long-on.
The incident occurred when the eighth over was in progress with the KKRteam batting.
Pro-Tamil groups like Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) and a newlylaunched forum of Tamil directors had given a boycott call of the popularIndian Premier League.
They alleged that the game was being organised to divert attention from theraging Cauvery protests across the state.
Hundreds of activists of outfits like TVK, Naam Tamizhar and ViduthalaiChiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), besides some Muslim groups, staged road blockadeat the arterial Anna Salai and TTK Salai, affecting traffic movement,police said.
The agitations especially affected vehicular traffic on the busy AnnaSalai, resulting in traffic snarls.
Naam Tamizhar leader and film personality Seeman, film-maker Bharathirajaaand scores of activists were taken into custody by police, who had a toughtime managing the surging number of protesters.
Bharathirajaa said that “at a time when we are grieving (over the Cauverydispute), should we needIPL link> .. It isinsulting,” he added.
In some places, the agitators clashed with police, even as there werereports of police chasing them away.
Police had brought the M A Chidambaram stadium under tight security coverwith 4000 police personnel guarding the venue, hosting its first IPLlink> tie since May 2015.
Commandos and personnel of Rapid Action Force were among the securitydetail.
The threat of more protests prompted police to step up security for thecricketers, including during their journey to the stadium from their hotel.
The CSK team suffered a slight delay on its onward trip to the stadium forthe match due to the disruption.
Some protesters at Anna Salao were seen raising slogans against PrimeMinister Narendra Modi for not establishing the Cauvery Management Board,an issue on which Tamil Nadu political parties including DMK and otheroutfits have been agitating for the past one week.
Protests were also held at Triplicane, in the vicinity of the stadium, bysome outfits including VCK but police foiled their bid to march towards thevenue and detained them.
Earlier in the day, activists of TVK who tried to stage a demonstrationoutside the stadium were held.
Tamil Nadu has been witnessing protests for the past one week, urging theCentre to constitute the Cauvery Management Board (CMB).
Various political parties and outfits have demanded cancellation of IPLlink> matches in Chennai, saying it wasbeing held at a time when the state was witnessing widespread agitations onthe vexed issue.