NAGAPATTINAM : A conflict between two persons flared up into a caste clash in Vedaranyam on Sunday evening. A Dalit man was hacked, an SUV was set on fire, and an Ambedkar statue was desecrated. The incident happened around 5 pm, when the Dalit man Ramachandran was found lying on the road with grievous injuries to his leg. Police suspect Pandian, who is a functionary of a dominant caste outfit, could have tried to run over Ramachandran with his SUV and then hacked him with a machete.
When Ramachandran started screaming for help, Pandian ran into the Vedaranyam police station and took refuge there. Immediately, news spread that Pandian had hacked Ramachandran over previous enmity. While Ramachandran was being rushed to the GH, his friends and supporters started gathering near the police station.
They smashed Pandian’s SUV and set it on fire. The police, who were understaffed as many of the personnel had gone for bandobast duty to Velankanni, could not control the growing mob. Fumes from the burning car engulfed parts of the town, and the fire services personnel were brought in to put out the flames.
Meanwhile, Pandian’s supporters rushed to the spot and vandalised the Ambedkar statue located between the police station and the bus stand. Public, caught between the warring mobs, began to flee, causing panic. The clashes soon spread to the Vedaranyam GH, where Ramachandran was admitted, following which he was moved to Tiruvarur medical college hospital.
Security beefed up
A case has been registered and senior officials have rushed to the town. Police presence has been beefed up in and around town