A poster of freedom fighter Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar was allegedly found torn in a locality in the city, triggering a group of people staged a protest demanding the arrest of those behind the act, police said.
The poster, near a temple in the Ramanathapuram area, was found torn by a resident and police was alerted.
As the news spread, people belonging to different political parties and community organisations, who are ardent followers of Muthuramalinga Thevar, rushed to the place and protested seeking immediate arrest of the culprits, police said.
Police personnel were also deployed to prevent any untoward incidents.
Even as police detained 40 people for staging protests, senior police officials spoke to the protestors and assured actions against those behind the incident at the earliest.