Tension gripped Kaniyambadi town in Vellore district on Monday after more than 1,000 people, including brick kiln owners and workers, traders, and individuals from various walks of life, organized a massive protest near the bus stand, blocking the Vellore-Arni highway. The demonstrators accused functionaries of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) of extortion and intimidation.
Allegations of Extortion
The protesters specifically named TVK Kaniyambadi union secretary T R Vijayakumar, along with party office-bearers Lokesh and Eswaran, accusing them of running an extortion ring. They alleged that these individuals issued death threats and demanded bribes from local businessmen and workers. According to the protesters, Vijayakumar and his associates demanded ₹1 lakh every month from each unit to allow them to operate in the town without interference.
The Kaniyambadi region houses a dense industrial cluster of more than 350 brick kilns, which employ thousands of local daily wage laborers, in addition to numerous business and trade houses. The protesters claimed that Vijayakumar, capitalizing on the party’s successful electoral debut in 2026, began threatening brick kiln owners and others to pay an extortion fee every month.
Police Response Sparks Outrage
Five brick kiln owners initially approached the Kaniyambadi police with their complaints. However, the police allegedly delayed action for nearly five days, reportedly advising the complainants to “compromise and adjust” since the accused belonged to the ruling party. The situation escalated when the police, instead of booking the extortionists, registered cases against the brick kiln owners who had filed the complaint.
Deeply angered by the police action, hundreds of affected people and their families marched to the Vellore–Arni highway near the Kaniyambadi bus stand and blocked the traffic. The blockade caused hundreds of commuters to become stranded on the busy state highway.
Authorities Intervene
A large contingent of police personnel and revenue department officers reached the spot. They offered assurances that an impartial investigation would be conducted and appropriate action would be taken. Following these assurances, the protesters withdrew their road blockade.
A Krishnamoorthy, a brick kiln owner, stated that the TVK functionaries demanded ₹1 lakh per month from each unit in the region to continue operation without any hurdles. “They said their party is in power, and we have to abide by their directions. They said they will direct the district officials to seize our lorries and file cases against us,” he said.
A district official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the administration convened a high-level peace committee under the leadership of Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) K Senthil Kumar to review the police handling of the complaints.
