Mangaluru : DYFI State president  Muneer Katipalla and two activists, who were arrested for allegedly obstructing road work in the Mangalore Special Economic Zone area on Thursday, were released on interim bail late Thursday night.

The residents, under the aegis of Jokatte Nagarika Horata Samiti, have been opposing a portion of the corridor road work as a mark of protest against alleged pollution by coke and sulphur recovery units of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited that function in the MSEZ.

Seeing machinery moving towards resuming the road work, Samiti members and Mr. Katipalla rushed to block the movement.

Police intervention led to heated arguments and altercation. Some protesters were then arrested.

Mr. Katipalla and few other DYFI activists lay across the road to block the movement of the van. Mr. Katipalla and other activists were arrested, and released after an hour. Mr. Katipalla and two others were granted interim bail till the main bail application was heard.

The Magistrate on Friday posted to Saturday the hearing on the main bail application for objection by the prosecution.