Mother of injured social activist seeks protection, action against illegal stone quarries

Mother of social activist attacked by quarry operators demands police protection and action against perpetrators in Madurai.

The mother of a social activist, M. Gnanasekaran, who was allegedly attacked by quarry operators at Vadipatti in Madurai, demanded action against the perpetrators of the assault and sought police protection in a petition submitted during the weekly grievance redressal meeting here on Monday. 

M. Umapathy of Vadipatti, accompanied by villagers and social activists, carried placards displaying illegal quarries operating in areas such as Kachaikatti and Ramayanpatti.

She said it was learned through a Right to Information Act reply that two of the stone quarry mines located in their area were operating beyond their licence period. “My son, who has been protesting and acting against such quarry operations in the past, raised this issue too with the district administration and police.”  

She added that no action was taken against the quarry operations and her son received various threats every now and then. As he was not physically threatened until a few days ago, he did not report the threats to the police. “It is scary to recall the incidents of my son getting beaten up with iron rod by random people on the road. As we are common people, we cannot move around places accompanying someone every time.”  

If the assault on his neck and stomach had hit his head or face, the situation would have been critical. “Even now, when my son is admitted in Government Rajaji Hospital, we fear that someone might attack us again. To protect ourselves from the quarry operators, we need protection from the police,” she further said. 

In addition to this, the district administration should also ensure that the heavy vehicles of the quarry operators were not using the waterway. “As they did not have a separate pathway for transport, they use waterways adjoining Vaguthumalai hills,” she said.