CHENNAI: Two months after the ghastly murder of Dalit engineering graduate Gokulraj in Namakkal district, the prime accused in the case, Yuvaraj, who heads a Gounder caste outfit, has been having a free run, releasing one audio clip after another blatantly indulging in casteist propaganda. Strangely, in a technology age, where mobile phone tower signals have helped the police crack the most complicated of cases, Yuvaraj has been mocking at the police force even declaring through audio-recorded phone messages that he can’t be traced using such technology.
On June 23, Gokulraj, who was with his girlfriend hailing from the Gounder community, was rounded up by a few men impersonating as police and taken away. Later his body was found. Police investigations pointed to the alleged involvement of Yuvaraj, president of the little known Dheeran Chinnamali Peravai.
While a few persons were arrested, Yuvaraj managed to flee. In the interim period, he mockingly released three audio clips using the mobile phone application WhatsApp. In the first clip, he declared himself as a ‘Maaveeran’ (great warrior). He has since claimed that he is underground only because his surrender, after threats to his family members, would be seen as an act of cowardice.
In the latest audio clip lasting over 37 minutes he urged youngsters of the Gounder community to consolidate themselves and accused the police of misbehaving with women and other family members and booking his associates under false charges.
Asked how an accused could roam freely, Inspector General of Police (West Zone) Sankar said it is difficult to trace the origin of the audio clips circulated through WhatsApp. “But we are committed and special teams are working to trace him. We will soon bring him before law,” he told Express. The officer rubbished Yuvaraj’s claims that the police had misbehaved with the latter’s family members.
Social and Dalit rights activist Prof A Marx commented that the free run of Yuvaraj raised questions about the sincerity of the police in tracing him.
“If police really intended to catch him, I think by now they could have done it,” he charged.