TIRUPPUR: The city police have arrested nine youths from Bihar in connection with the attack by a gang of migrant workers on two youths, including a local DMK functionary, in Tiruppur. However, on Tuesday, local residents lodged a complaint at the police commissioner's office, demanding the expulsion of all migrant workers from the area. City Police Commissioner S Rajendran told TNIE that the situation in the area has been brought under control.
According to sources, on Monday, at 5.30 pm, a gang of migrant workers had a scuffle amongst themselves on the main road in Indira Nagar near Pandian Nagar in Tiruppur. At that moment, S Jagadeesh (39), DMK's weavers' wing organiser for Velampalayam, and his friend Ramamurthy, who were passing by, questioned the migrant workers about the tussle. They then allegedly scolded them and ordered them to leave the place without causing disturbance. This angered the migrant workers.
Following this, the migrant workers, who had meanwhile invited their friends, surrounded Jagadeesh and attacked him. While Jagadeesh sustained severe injuries in the attack, Ramamurthy escaped with minor injuries. Jagadeesh is undergoing treatment.
This attack has shocked the people of Tiruppur. A video of the incident had gone viral on social media, and strong outcries were raised against migrant workers.
On Tuesday, more than 100 residents of Indira Nagar gathered and lodged a complaint with the city police commissioner. "More than 50 migrant workers had gathered and attacked them. They were using a sickle to attack Jagadeesh, and he sustained a serious head injury. Everyone involved in this attack must be arrested," they said. "The migrant workers are behaving in an uncouth manner in public places and must be evicted from our residential area."
P Sankar of Indira Nagar said, "Jagadeesh had come to the area to have tea. He only came forward to resolve the problem. If this situation continues, Tamils will be unsafe in their state."
K Manikandan said, "More than 500 families reside in Indira Nagar. Law and order issues caused by migrant workers have been on the rise. The police must control this."
Commissioner S Rajendran said, "This was not a planned incident. The argument between the two sides led to a clash. We have arrested nine workers from Bihar in connection with this. Further inquiries are on. Police are engaged in patrolling in that area, and the situation is under control. Such clashes between migrant workers and locals do not happen often in Tiruppur. The last conflict happened three years ago in Tiruppur. People must immediately inform the police about such matters," the COP said, clarifying that it was a strong iron rod and not a sickle that was used in the attack.