At least 600 DMK activists were arrested today, when they attempted to picket various places in the district and nearby Tirupur district, protesting the arrest of party treasurer MK Stalin in Chennai.

As scores of party workers, led by local leaders were preparing for a demonstration against demonetisation, the news flashed of Stalin’s arrest and the workers spread to various places in the city, police said. Former minister Pongalur N Palanisamy led nearly 100 persons, including women, and squatted in the middle of Trichy Road near the government hospital and condemned the police for arresting the opposition leader in the State Assembly.

Similarly, some 200 workers, led by party district secretary S Muthuswamy staged picketing in Tatabad in the city and raised slogans against the government and the police. Some 150 persons, led by party rural district secretary, C Ramachandran also staged a demonstration in nearby Mettupalayam.

All the workers were arrested, police said.

Meanwhile, some 300 persons, under the leadership of former state minister MP Swaminathan, were arrested when they attempted to stage picketing by sitting on the road in Dharapuram in nearby Tirupur district.

In a related issue, some 150 workers of the CPI and CPIM, including former MP PR Natarajan and former CPI MLA M Arumugam, staged a demonstration near the Central Telegraph Office in the city, protesting against demonetisation, police said.

They raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that his announcement on withdrawal of high value notes, has affected the livelihood of common man, small traders and small industries, police said.