Chennai, Dec 30 (IANS): The Coimbatore police on Thursday arrested several activists including leaders of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK), who had staged a demonstration against the RSS for conducting a 'shakha' and camp inside a private school's premises in the city.

TPDK general secretary K. Ramakrishnan, while addressing the protest said that the action of the RSS would create fear and unrest among the ordinary people of the area.

Police said that the activists turned violent outside the school where the RSS was conducting its one-week orientation programme for its lower-level cadre. The programme, "Prathamik Shiksha Varg" was being conducted within the school premises from December 24 and would conclude on Friday.

Ramakrishnan was forcibly lifted from the agitation area and put inside a police vehicle.

He told IANS: "The RSS is an organisation that spreads hatred and mistrust among the people and the police should not have given assent for its camp in the school premises. We held the protest to make the world aware of what the RSS is doing. Our public action has made the local people understand what the RSS exactly is and what its agenda is."

Police said that all the protestors were taken into custody and lodged at a wedding hall in Villankurichi near Coimbatore.