Village Tense After Murder of Vanniyar Sangam Man
CHIDAMBARAM: Tension prevailed in Velangipattu village near here after a Vanniyar Sangam functionary was brutally murdered on Saturday night. His friend, who was also attacked, was undergoing treatment at JIPMER, in Puducherry.
Police registered a case against seven persons, including a district panchayat councillor, and are searching for the accused. A heavy posse of police was posted in the village to prevent any untoward incidents.
A resident of Velangipattu village, Ilamparithi (35) was the Vanniyar Sangam’s Parangipettai block secretary. He fell out with district councillor Selvarangam, a native of the same village and the enmity between Ilamparithi and Selvarangam had been simmering for more than two years.
On Saturday night, Ilamparithi and his friend Palani (38) were going to their village on a motorbike when they were intercepted by a gang that attacked them with sharp weapons. Ilamparithi died on the spot and Palani was severely injured. Locals took him to JIPMER hospital in Puducherry.
On information, Chidambaram DSP R Rajaram rushed to the spot and sent Ilamparithi’s body to Chidambaram government hospital for post-mortem.
Pudhuchathiram police registered case against district councillor Selvarangam, Sahadevan, Mukunthan, Balamurugan, Subramaniyan, Dhakshinamurthy and Thirugnanam of the same village. Police are on the lookout for the accused. Ilamparithi was an active functionary of the Vanniyar Sangam. He was jailed for participating in the protest held after the arrest of PMK founder S Ramadoss a year ago.
Flagpole Vandalised
In another incident, tension gripped Pakkirithakka village near Thiruvennainallur on Saturday after some men vandalised a flagpole belonging to the PMK.
Agitated, the partymen staged a road-roko at Thiruvennaillur-Tirukoilur, demanding the arrest of the persons responsible for the act. Police went to the spot and assured to take action on the vandals, following which the partymen ended the stir.
According to sources, the flagpole was placed by the PMK cadre in Pakkirithakka village near Thiruvennainallur and on Wednesday and the party founder S Ramadoss had hoisted the PMK flag, when he came to Thiruvennainallur to attend a function.
On Sunday morning, the villagers saw the flagpole lying on the ground. This news spread, and about 100 PMK cadre gathered in the village and staged the protest. Due to this, the traffic on the route was affected for more than half-an-hour.
Meanwhile, a source from the village alleged that the pole was damaged in retaliation against the PMK workers pasting their party poster on the notice board of the town panchayat primary school in the village.