Background of the Background: The construction of a National Highway for the proposed area has serious implications on the livelihood of the farmers in the area. Details of the Incident: On March 12, 2022, the tahsildar of Kadayanallur headed a team of officials and police personnel and went to Kadayanallur to measure agricultural land needed for the National Highway project from Thirumangalam in Madurai to Kollam in Kerala. No intimation of the national highway or the proposed measurement of land had been given by officials to the local farmers whose lands were being measured. The landowners had gone for their routine work in the morning. However, when the officials and policemen reached the village, they were stopped, the news spread in the village and the Farmers Association members came to peacefully protest against the uniformed survey. The protesting farmers asked the officials for the reason for unexpected land measurement. However, the officials did not tell them about the proposed highway or give them reasons for the measurement of their lands. Instead, the police officials accompanying them detained the 13 farmers without any due process.

At 10 am, the farmers were detained at the Senaithalaivar community hall-Kadayanallur till 6:30pm in the evening. Later they were moved to Maravar community hall till 8:30 pm. At around 8:30 pm on March 12, 2022, the police officials of Kadayanallur police station, registered a FIR under sections 143- (unlawful assembly) & 341- (punishment for wrongful restraint) and sent the protestors home.