<P> As the marchers proceeded towards Tanjore District, its "astute and energetic" Collector J.A. Thorne (ICS) found ways to prevent them from proceeding further . Using newspapers, leaflets (printed in Tamil), town - criers and press, Thorne informed the would - be hosts that anyone offering food or shelter to the marchers was liable to six - months of imprisonment and fine . When Rajagopalachari came to know about the collector's order, he said that he could understand the mindset of his own people better than a British ICS officer could and remarked, "Thorne and thistles cannot stem this tide of freedom ." Panthulu Iyer, an ex-member of the Legislative Council and a resident of Kumbakonam, ignored Thorne's order and provided accommodation for the marchers for two days and arranged a grand dinner for them at his house . He was arrested and sentenced to six months of imprisonment . A few government servants who welcomed the marchers at Semmangudi lost their jobs . </P> <P> On 25 April, the marchers reached Tiruthuraipoondi and had planned to stay at a choultry which was managed by Ramachandra Naidu, a close associate of Pillai . Despite the collector's warning, Naidu provided accommodation to the marchers at his choultry . His actions led to him being arrested by the police the following day . The arrest of Iyer and Naidu created fear among the people . Pillai, however, convinced the people that they could provide food without getting caught by the police . As a result, food packets were found tied to the branches of roadside trees, and when the group rested on the banks of Kaveri there were indicators where huge food containers were buried . The British policemen, who were deployed to suppress the marchers, suffered from starvation when local residents refused them food and water . The Indian staff who were employed by the British stopped performing their daily activities, while barbers and washermen refused to serve the government employees . </P> <P> During the march, Rajagopalachari and the marchers highlighted the importance of Civil Disobedience Movement as well as khadi and social issues like caste discrimination . They socialised with the untouchables and refrained from entering the temples in which the former were denied entry . They also swept the streets of the villages and spoke up for the unity of Hindus and Muslims . </P> <P> Despite numerous obstacles, the group reached Vedaranyam on 28 April 1930, 15 days after setting out . When Gandhi was informed he wrote back: "It is good that our hands and feet are tied so that we can sing with joy . God is the help of the helpless ." The police, despite their previous failures, tightened the security at Vedaranyam to prevent the marchers from collecting salt . As soon as the group reached Vedaranyam, Rajagopalachari called for more participants and publicly declared that the salt laws would be broken on 30 April . Pillai offered accommodation to the group by constructing a camp on the shore . On the same day, when Rajaji and 16 others moved to the Edanthevar salt swamp, which was about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the camp . A police force led by the District Superintendent arrived at the spot and asked the group to surrender . When they refused, Rajagopalachari was arrested under section 74 of the Salt Act, and was produced before the district magistrate Ponnusamy Pillai . He was sentenced to six - months of imprisonment and was sent to the Trichinopoly Central Prison . </P>

Who broke the salt law in tamil nadu