THOOTHUKUDI: A 57-year-old person was hacked to death and four others sustained injuries in a group clash during local body elections in Ottapidaram here on Monday. The deceased was identified as Mariappan alias Race Mariappan (57) of Ottapidaram Keela Street.
Sources said three persons – Latha Masanasamy, Ilayaraja and Mani – contested in Ottapidaram village panchayat, a reserved segment for SC, for president post. It is said Latha and Ilayaraja had a neck-to-neck competition and that triggered a fight between their supporters. During the clash at Mettupacheri Union School polling booth, Ottapidaram DMK Town Secretary Pachaperumal and his son Jeyamurugan were hacked by a gang.
In a counter attack, Masanasamy and his brother Somasundaram were hacked. Sources said Pachaperumal supported Ilayaraja. The victims are admitted to Thoothukudi GH. One Mariappan, who was earlier in AIADMK, but allegedly worked for Ilayaraja, was hacked to death. His body was found alongside Ottapidaram-Palayamkottai road. To prevent escalation of tension, police security was beefed up.
Man alleges bogus vote
Chennai: When a 36-year-old man went to cast his vote on Monday in Tiruvallur’s Padianallur village, he found that it was already cast by another person. I Arulanandam, the voter, came to the polling booth number 160 at the Sholavaram Panchayat Middle School in Padianallur Village at 11 am. ‘’When I entered the booth, officers in election duty first inked my finger even before I was about to poll the ballot. When I went to verify my name, it was already ticked,’’ Arulanandam told Express. Fumed, he approached the officials. After investigation, they told Express the person who cast the vote was an old-looking man, in his 60s with the same name Arulanandam, said officials.