TIRUNELVELI: Demanding the arrest of a nine-member gang that killed two persons and left several others injured in a heinous sickle attack, the residents of SC and BC communities in Perumpathu village near Nanguneri jointly continued their road blockade for the second day on Tuesday.
While the leaders of opposition parties condemned the act, the Nanguneri police have arrested six accused persons.
According to villagers, the nine-member gang wearing masks arrived in three two-wheelers and attacked at least eight people, killing two, identified as John Mark (a person belonging to the SC community living with disability) and D Trinath Kata (a migrant labourer from Odisha) on the spot.
Most of the victims were standing near a tea shop and a workshop.
Trinath was incidentally passing through the spot on his bicycle, while the other deceased individual was attacked while he was riding his two-wheeler.
The injured persons included members of a BC community, one of whom is critical in Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.
The vehicles were diverted via an alternate route due to the protest. Several rounds of talks by the police officials failed. When they attempted to march towards the Tirunelveli-Kanniyakumari four-lane National Highway, the police prevented them.
Meanwhile, the history sheeter Naveen, belonging to an MBC community, released a video on social media claiming that he was not connected with the accused persons. A few villagers were raising slogans praising Naveen (Naveen Thevar Vazhga) during the violence.
Condemning the incident, the AIADMK in its party’s X handle asked if the DMK government's intention is to keep the region in a state of tension, fostering social conflicts for electoral gains.
“What action did the DMK government take to prevent the ongoing social conflicts that started in Nanguneri and continue in the southern districts? Is it just watching the spectacle?” the party questioned.
BJP State president Nainar Nagenthran and former party president K Annamalai alleged that the usage of drugs and liquor has caused the violence.
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss and TVK president Vijay also condemned the DMK government for the incident.