Thousands of Madurai farmers, villagers take out 25-km long procession against tungsten mining project

Farmers and villagers protest tungsten mining project in Madurai, facing police barricades and arrests, demanding release of detainees.

More than 10,000 farmers and villagers from Melur and nearby regions, on Tuesday (January 7, 2025) went on a 25-km long procession from Narasingampatti to Tallakulam in Madurai city demanding to scrap the tungsten mining project at Melur taluk in Madurai district.

Protestors, both men and women, started in cars, bikes tractors, buses and lorries and on foot the march from at a temple at Narasingampatti in the morning and reached the city in the afternoon.

Despite the police barricading the roads at some of the important junctions like Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Othakadai, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, protesters managed to break the cordons and steadily marched towards their intended destination.

However, many of the protesters were allegedly detained by police to prevent huge gatherings.

Condemning the arrest, protesters refused to disperse and went on shouting slogans demanding the release of those detained.