Detained by TN police, Yogendra Yadav issues statement on defying police order

Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav has been detained by police in Tiruvannamalai for protesting against the 8-lane Salem Chennai expressway. In a series of tweets, Yogendra Yadav alleged that the police stopped him from meeting farmers, accusing the cops of manhandling.

"TN police has detained me and team in Chengam PS, Thiru Annamalai district. We came on the invitation of Movement Against 8Lane Way. We were prevented from going to meet farmers, phones snatched, manhandled and pushed into police van. First hand experience of police state in TN! " tweeted Yadav.

Yadav said that 49 farmers have also been detained by the police.

“It's 4 hours now, we are still locked inside this marriage hall. No formal order. Not even oral information about whether we are under detention or arrest. 9 Farmers who met me this morning detained. Another 40 farmers waiting to meet me also detained. Rule of law? Or police Raj?” he tweeted.

He said he had also spoken to the District Collector of Thiruvannamalai, KS Kandasamy, but he denied any police interference.

“I had spoken to Mr Kandasamy, Collector, Thiru Annamalai about acquisition and complains of police excesses for 8 lane way. He completely denied any police interference. Within minutes of the phone call police detained us,” he tweeted.

However, the police has denied the allegations, saying the activist had not sought permission before meeting the farmers. Cops insisted that Yadav and his team would have needed police protection as the situation could have turned volatile given the sensitivity of the situation, reported Ndtv.

The police had issued a restraining order restricting Yogendra Yadav from meeting the farmers at their home. Yogendra Yadav has issued a statement on why he considers the police order illegal and why he considers it his duty to defy this order: