Following protests by various organisations over the Palar dam issue, security cover has been increased for the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, who arrived in Coimbatore last evening for a two-day visit to the city.

Security for Naidu, who came to Coimbatore to attend a marriage scheduled for this afternoon, was very tight, as workers belonging to the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhakam staged a black flag demonstration, protesting against the construction of the dam across Palar, which affected lakh of Tamil Nadu farmers.

“They had also burnt his photograph and shouted slogans like ‘Naidu, go back, don’t kill the Tamils,’” the police said.

Some persons, who were proceeding with black flags to the hotel where Naidu was staying, were prevented by the police. The hotel was also brought under tight security, with a few armed guards
manning the approach roads and keeping vigil, anticipating trouble.

If the dam issue was not bad enough, the arrest of 32 Tamils for cutting red sanders two days ago further added to the hostility, resulting in heavy police security all the way from the hotel to the marriage hall. Even media persons were not allowed to go near Naidu.