The Tinnevely Riot is an outbreak of violence which occurred in the town of Tinnevely in then Madras Presidency

Madras Presidency

The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...

 of British India on March 17, 1908. The outbreak was in response to the arrest and subsequent conviction of Indian nationalists Subramania Siva and V. O. Chidambaram Pillai.

Events

V. O. Chidambaram Pillai and Subramania Siva were arrested in Tuticorin on March 12, 1908 for delivering inflammatory speeches. Following their arrest, a serious riot broke out in the neighbouring Tinnevely in protest. All the public buildings except the town office were attacked and furiture destroyed though there was no loss to life. Twenty-seven persons were convicted for participation in the riot.