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Coimbatore toll touches 20

With the death of one more person, the toll in Coimbatore's communal clashes rose to 20 even as the situation in the strife-torn city became tense again today, following rumours that ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazagham legislator C T Dhandapani had succumbed to his injuries.

As the rumour spread, buses went off the road and anti-social elements forced shopkeepers to down their shutters and disrupted movement of private vehicles.

The situation improved only after a message was repeatedly broadcast over the local All India Radio station that the legislator was "hale and hearty". District Collector G Santhanam also urged the people not to give credence to the rumours.

Meanwhile, one person, who was admitted to the medical college hospital, succumbed to his injuries today. The bodies of 17 of those killed in the violence, which erupted in the aftermath of a traffic police constable's murder at Ukkadam on Saturday night, were handed over to their relatives.

A large contingent of paramilitary forces accompanied the bodies which were taken in a procession.

The police said the situation was tense, but well under control.

UNI

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