Two dalits have been murdered in different incidents near Gopalasamudram in Tirunelveli district. Police beefed up security as tension prevailed in the area. While one person was killed following an alleged eve-teasing incident, the second person was killed after tiff over cutting a tree.
On Thursday night, a flag pole erected by a particular community was damaged by a group of unidentified persons in Gopalasamudram. When a road roko was being held to condemn the incident, a schoolgirl in the area was eve teased. Muneerpallam Police registered cases in connection with both the incidents. However, a construction worker, Dharmaraj (21) of Mupidathiamman Temple Street of Gopalasamudram, was hacked to death on Saturday. He was on the way from Suthamalli to Gopalasamudram on a two wheeler when a group of persons attacked him using sickles at Vadakkur.
Shops downed shutters at the Gopalasamudram area and his relatives blocked road calling for the arrest of the accused.
Senior police officers Tirunelveli district SP (incharge) Durai, ADSPs Mahendran, Rajagopal and DSP Manimaran rushed to the spot and conducted talks with the protesters. A senior police officer said they arrested four persons in connection with the murder.
In the other incident, Murugan (40) was murdered following a dispute over cutting a tree near his house at Mela Omanallur near Gopalasamudram.
Due to previous enmity, his neighbour Petchiammal’s relatives allegedly attacked Murugan using sickles on Sunday. Murugan’s wife Vasantha, daughter Kala and a relative were injured.
Murugan died on the spot and the injured were admitted at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital. On Sunday, relatives of the deceased persons and dalit parties declined to receive the bodies at TVMCH and staged a protest. Heavy police deployment was made to prevent any untoward incident.