![](https://www.indiaherald.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=750/imagestore/images/politics/politics_latestnews/former-aiadmk-minister-arrested-for-protesting-in-madurai115c2f93-39f5-47df-80cd-918eb7c1f616-415x250.jpg)
Former AIADMK minister RB Udayakumar was arrested for protesting in the Collectorate premises demanding the release of water from Vaigai dam for irrigation in madurai district. Agricultural work is being done through Tirumangalam Main Canal under Periyar Vaigai Irrigation Scheme in Tirumangalam Taluk of madurai District. It is usual to open water to Tirumangalam areas from september 15 when there is 6 thousand million cubic feet of water in Vaigai Dam. In madurai district, the farmers of the three regions have been continuously demanding to open 45,000 acres of water for two-way irrigation from Berani to Kallandri, 85,000 acres for one-way irrigation in Melur and 19,500 acres for one-way irrigation in Tirumangalam.
At present water has been opened only in Kallandri area and agricultural work is going on. In this situation, more than 30 people suddenly took part in a dharna protest at the madurai district collector office complex under the leadership of former AIADMK minister and Tirumangalam assembly member RB Udayakumar, demanding immediate release of water from Vaigai dam to the Tirumangalam main canal, Melur and 58 village irrigation canals.
Despite continuous rains, they did not give up their protest and participated in the dharna protest in the pouring rain. They petitioned the madurai district collector more than five times to release water from the Vaigai dam, saying that there was no action, and that the ruling DMK government was playing politics with water, raising slogans against the district administration and the tamil Nadu government.
At that time, the police arrested more than 30 people, including AIADMK's former minister RB Udayakumar, who protested in the district collector's office premises in violation of the permit. Due to this, there was some commotion in the madurai district collector office premises.