File Photo
Mangaluru, January 2: Thousands of gas tanker drivers, who were protesting at Suratkal, here were arrested by the police on Saturday, January 2nd. The protest was staged at Suratkal against the murder of a tanker driver in Andhra Pradesh, December 19th.
The activists of DYFI and CITU who were supporting the protest were also arrested.
From the last four days the protest has been going on in front of the gas filling unit outside in front of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) near Surathkal, demanding to provide compensation to the family of gas tanker driver Saravanan who was beaten to death in Andhra Pradesh on December 19th and to arrest the culprits.
About 4,000 tankers had remained parked in Suratkal and had suspended their services.
On Saturday morning, owners of the petroleum unit tried to move the gas tankers with police protection and new truck drivers were brought in from Tamil Nadu.
Hundreds of protesters at the spot stopped the tankers and questioned the police. As the situation began to go out of control, 47 protestors were arrested by the police and were taken to Panambur police station.
