About 100 workers, belonging to various political parties and organisations, were arrested today, while attempting to stage a demonstration here, seeking the release of a social activist, who was arrested a couple of days ago.

Siva was arrested last week, based on a complaint by a woman that he has cheated her on the promise of getting her land and taken Rs 5,000 and then reprimanded her, when she sought to know the progress in the matter.

However, the demonstrators claimed that the arrest was at the behest of a spiritual organisation, functioning on the foothills of Velliangiri and used the woman, Maheswari, as a tool to settle scores with Siva, who was fighting against the organisation, which was reportedly encroaching on land belonging to the government and also to tribals, police said.

Activists from the CPIM, CPI, AIFY, DYFI, Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhakam, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and
PUCL, participated in the demonstration. Since there was no permission for the demonstration, the activists, including 38 women, were taken into custody, police said.