Coimbatore, Feb 10 (PTI) Police resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse a section of industry workers, who after participating in a demonstration against power cuts by various industrial associations, attempted to stage a picketing near a traffic signal in the city today. A physically disabled person is believed to have sustained minor injuries and was taken to government hospital here, police said. More than 10,000 industries owners and workers, some holding black flags, staged a demonstration today condemning the "unprecedented power cuts, ranging from four hours to nine hours," upsetting the production pattern and also leading to workers sitting idle. When a group of workers indulged in picketing near a traffic signal by waving black flags, causing traffic jam on busy market areas at Gandhipuram here, police resorted to mild lathicharge and managed to disperse them. About 30,000 industries in the area downed their shutters and hoisted black flags atop their sheds to air their protest against the both scheduled and unscheduled power cuts. Industries owners belonging to 25 associations including Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA) and Tamil Nadu and Cottage and Tiny Industries Association (TACT) participated in the shutdown and demonstration, police said. As there was no permission to stage demonstration, a large number of policemen were deployed to maintain law and order.
