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COIMBATORE: The city police arrested six BJP cadres on Thursday for damaging three private buses on August 17.

They were identified as N Dheenadhayalan of Ganapathy, H Gokul and J Pradeep of Avarampalayam, R Ashok of Singanallur, S Sathishkumar and R Raman of Uppilipalayam.

Dheenadhayalan, who is facing a murder case in Saravanampatti police limit, was the gang leader, police sources said. “Following the demise of BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee , BJP cadres forced shopkeepers in the city to down shutters. Two men, who had covered their faces using clothes, had damaged the wind shield of a private bus carrying 40 passengers using iron rods. The bus was heading toward SITRA from Gandhipuram. It came under attack when it reached the women’s polytechnic college junction around 10.30am. The duo managed to escape after the deed. They later damaged the wind shield of another private bus heading towards Maniyakarampalayam from Ondipudur,” a police officer said.

Around 12pm, some men pelted stones at a private bus that was heading towards the Coimbatore Railway Junction from SITRA, damaging its wind shield. The bus driver lodged a complaint with Peelamedu police.

City police collected CCTV footage of the incidents and arrested five men on Thursday night. They were remanded in judicial custody.

“Dheenadhayalan told us that the gang targeted only private buses and spared government buses as they were public property,” the officer added.

