Indian police crackdown on nuclear plant protesters

CHENNAI (AFP) - Police in southern India launched a crackdown on Tuesday to arrest activists who led a mass protest against the loading of uranium at a new nuclear power plant, a senior officer said.

One fisherman was shot dead by police while hundreds of others clashed with anti-riot personnel on Monday in Tamil Nadu state's Koodankulam region where protesters tried to lay siege to the Russia-backed project.

Police arrested several activists and were trawling local villages on Tuesday in the Trunaveli district where Koodankulam is situated, police superintendent Vijendra Biduri said.

"We have so far arrested 30 people and more arrests are going on as we have identified those behind yesterday's chaos, rioting and arson," Mr Biduri explained.