Death of 23-year-old Chennai techie: Activists protest in Coimbatore against illegal hoardings, banners across Tamil Nadu

Coimbatore: Social activists on Monday staged a protest against the non-removal of illegal hoarding and banners across the state and within collectorate campus.

Activists claimed that despite the court’s order to remove flex banners across the state, hoardings still remain visible in several parts of the state and within district collectorate campus.

Activists from an NGO named Makkal Pathai staged a novel protest hanging placards on their necks and said that court order is common to all and should be implemented everywhere.

“Even after the court ordered to remove flex banners and hoardings, they remain fixed at several places. Due to this, we are submitting an application with district collector to take action against those violators,” one of the activists said.

The protest comes in wake of the death of a 23-year-old Subashree being crushed in Chennai after an illegal flex banner allegedly erected by AIADMK functionary fell on the two-wheeler she was riding.

On 15 September, Chennai police named AIADMK councillor Jayagopal in an FIR, in connection with the death of the girl.

Madras High Court had on Friday directed Tamil Nadu government and Chennai Corporation to take disciplinary action against officials who failed to take cognisance of the illegally put up flex board that fell and led to her death.

Court had asked the state government to submit a report mentioning steps to eradicate banner culture and actions taken in the particular incident.