Cauvery water dispute: Protester dies of electrocution after climbing locomotive in Chennai

Chennai: A Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) activist died on Wednesday after climbing on to a train engine in Chennai during a shutdown called by the party against the Centre’s failure to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB). [caption id=“attachment_4400699” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] But normal life was largely unaffected in Tamil Nadu although reports reaching here said that shops were closed in Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Villupuram, Mettur and in some other places where the PMK wields influence. Tragedy struck a party member at Dindivanam station when he climbed atop a train engine. A railway official told IANS that the person did not touch the high power cable above him but was close enough to get electrocuted. DMK had expressed support to the PMK-called protest to denounce the Central government’s failure to set up the CMB and a Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee as ordered by the Supreme Court. PMK activists squatted on rail tracks at several places in Chennai and were taken into custody. In Chennai, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss led the protest at Egmore railway station. “The Central government is acting as if Tamil Nadu is not a part of India. This is not good for the sovereignty of the nation,” Ramadoss said. Wednesday’s PMK-called shutdown came a day after Tamil groups held protests in Chennai against the holding of Indian Premier League (IPL) matches to express their anger over what they say is the Modi government’s failure vis-a-vis the Cauvery dispute.