The CPI-M-affiliated Students Federation of India (SFI) held protest in colleges in Cuddalore, Kumbakonam, Aranthangi and Chidambaram.
In Madurai, a group of lawyers held a protest, shouting slogans against the CAA. Similarly anti-CAA protests were also held in Erode and Trichy, as per reports.
In the state capital, members of different organisations, students, youth and others participated in the protest against CAA, despite police not giving permission.
Prior to the protest, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan tweeted: "My request is, to the Indian who is sitting on the Commisioner of Police Chennai's chair. Please do not stiffle Democratic voices to be raised at Valluvar Kottam today (Thursday)."
On Wednesday late night, Chennai police removed a group of protesting students of the University of Madras from the campus and closed all its gates.
"The police took all the protesting students in their vans to the nearby Triplicane police station and asked us to go to our homes. The police had asked us to come inside the station which we resisted," A.T. Elakkiyan, a second year M.A. political science student, told .
"The police had asked us to have dinner as they had food packets inside the station. Two students went inside and collected the food packets. Now the students are at their homes," he added.
According to him, though the University has closed down the hostel and the hostel kitchen, some students declined to vacate their rooms and talks were on to provide food for those students.
"Majority of the hostel inmates have vacated their rooms. Only few students who are from other parts of the country are there. They have been given time to vacate the hostel. The hostel mess is closed. Perhaps some alternate arrangements for their food would be made," Ramu Manivannan, a Professor of Political Science at University of Madras, told .
He said after taking the students to the police station, the police left them without registering any case.
Meanwhile, the entry into the University of Madras has been barred with all its gates closed.
The University of Madras has declared holiday till December 23. Earlier, the university had declared a holiday between December 24-January 1 owing to Christmas and New Year.
( With inputs from IANS )