Residents hold protests demanding immediate closure of TASMAC outlet in TN's Jayankondam

Ariyalur (Tamil Nadu), Jul 13 (PTI) Students in government school uniforms, along with locals, staged a protest and clashed with police in a village near Jayankondam in this district, demanding the immediate closure of a state-run TASMAC liquor outlet, officials said on Monday. The protest, which took place on July 11, escalated into violence when some demonstrators vandalised the shop's barricades and pelted stones at the outlet in Kodali village. According to police, the villagers and students resorted to a road blockade on the Anaikarai-Jayankondam route for over three hours, complaining that the location of the liquor shop near residential areas and school routes was causing severe hardship to women and children. Upon receiving information, T Palur police and TASMAC officials arrived at the scene to pacify the agitators. While the officials requested two months to relocate the shop, the protesters refused to yield and rushed toward the outlet. A scuffle broke out between the police personnel and the protesters when authorities attempted to control the crowd and open the shop. The crowd subsequently dispersed after officials gave a firm assurance that the TASMAC outlet would be closed immediately. PTI JR JR ROH