Hindu Munnani, VHP besiege police station

Coimbatore: Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Hindu Munnani cadres besieged Kuniyamuthur police station on Monday demanding that cops should not take action against some people who drew pictures of ‘vel’ (spears) on city roads and public places on Sunday.
They drew the vel pictures to condemn the Karuppar Koottam YouTube channel which presented Kanda Sashti Kavacham, a hymn in praise of Lord Muruga.BJP, Hindu Munnani and VHP cadres drew vels – Lord Murugan’s weapon -- to express their support to Kanda Sashti Kavacham.
The Kuniyamuthur police registered cases against Hindu outfit members Gurubaran, Santhosh, Arunkumar, Sivaganesh and Akshay Varma under the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act on Sunday evening and picked five people for inquiry on Monday.
Several members of the outfits gathered in front of the police station. They sat on the road. They demanded that the police release the five people who were picked up by them for inquiry. The protesters sang bhajans.
VHP state joint secretary Amarnath Sivalingam doused himself with petrol and attempted to set himself ablaze. Police managed to stop him. There was commotion when police tried to stop him. He was removed from the spot by the police.
Cedric Manuel, assistant commissioner of police (law&order- south sub-division), Coimbatore city, held talks with the protesters and assured them that police would release the five people under station bail. Later, the protesters dispersed.
Police said an FIR would be registered against the protesters for violating the prohibitory orders.