Staff Writer

Chennai, Dec 6 (IndianMuslims.info) Demonstrations and black flag protests by various Muslim organisations marked the 14th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition throughout the state today.

In Chennai, over 2500 members of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamaath (TNTJ), Indian National League (INL), Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TNMMK), gathered outside the Chennai Collectorate, Park Town Post office and Valluvarkottam and held peaceful demonstrations, amidst heightened security.

The groups demanded speedy completion of the trail in cases relating to the demolition, re-construction of the mosque in its original site and handing over the site to the Wakf Board.

In Coimbatore, 2000 persons, belonging to two Muslim outfits and a Hindu outfit were arrested today when they tried to stage demonstrations at various places in the district. Police had given permission to TMMK and TTJ to stage black flag demonstrations only in the city, while permission had been refused in the rural areas of the district.

Nearly 1,000 persons, including 200 women, belonging to both organisations were arrested for defying the ban and attempting to stage demonstrations in two different places in Tirupur.
About 500 others were taken into custody in Pollachi and Mettupalayam for the same reason, police said.

Meanwhile, about 500 TMMK and 200 TTJ workers staged separate demonstrations in the city and raised slogans seeking the arrests of BJP leaders L K Advani, Uma Bharati and VHP leaders Ashok Singhal and Praveen Togadia, for their alleged role in the demolition.

In another incident, 570 Hindu Munnani activists were arrested in Pollachi and Tirupur, for attempting to stage demonstration to celebrate 'Victory Day' and also demanding construction of Ram Mandir at the site in Ayodhya,police said.

A Pondicherry report said that a large number of muslims, including women, staged a demonstration in front of the head post office, in response to the call given by Puduvai Thouheed Jamaath.

S M Thaseen president of the Jamaath, who led the demonstration, said the demands include speedy trial of the Babri Masjid demolition case and handing over of the disputed site to Muslims.

There was heavy deployment of police at places of worship, the Central Railway station and bus stands, report said.

Reports from Madurai said about 535 members, including 50 women, of the Tamilnadu Thowheed Jamath, led by Abdul Khader, staged a demonstration in front of the Tallakulam Post office.

Police said tight security arrangments were made at the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple. Devotees were being allowed to enter the temple through the East, South and Rajagopuram entries while the West and North gates would remain exit routes, police said.

Two companies of the Tamil Nadu Special police and over 2500 police personnel, along with Armed Reserve police, were posted at "sensitive" areas across the city, police said.

A Nagapattinam report said that about 600 Muslims, including 100 women of the TNMMK (South) district, staged a black flag demonstration in front of the main bus stand for about half an hour.

A similar demonstration was also held by members of the Tamil Nadu Douhit Jamath near Anna Statuem, the report said. Both groups dispersed after about 40 minutes, police said.