Chennai: Police were deployed in strength at Marina beach by the government this morning.
According to reports, there was talk of members of the Home Guards laying siege to the Secretariat here. So, as a precautionary measure, the police have been stationed there, it said.
The Marina beach became a place for protests after the one staged by the people of Tamilnadu in 2017, demanding the restoration of jallikattu. The jallikattu protest, which was largely peaceful, turned violent in the end with the people setting the Ice House police station on fire. People had pitched battles with the police on the roads near the Marina. Sixty persons were injured in the melee.
Ever since, the police have been hyper-sensitive about allowing protests near the Marina or using the beach for any kind of demonstrations.