THENI: A 32-year-old man was murdered by a gang while nomination papers were being filed for the panchayat ward member election at Kandasamypuram near Bodi on Monday, the last day for filing nominations.
A source said that a group of people from Kandasamypuram village, which comes under the Eranampatti panchayat, nominated Lakshmi from the seventh Ward, based on which she filed her nomination paper on Monday. Meanwhile, Rajagopal of the same village also filed his nomination paper for the same Ward. One Rengasamy of the village accompanied him.
According to the source, supporters of Lakshmi apparently rebuked Rengasamy for backing Rajagopal, which prompted the former’s son Prakash to arrive there to support his father.
A heated argument broke out between the two groups and the opposite group allegedly pelted stones on the father and son. Prakash suffered severe head injury and died on the spot, while Rengasamy was rushed to government medical college hospital, Theni, with serious injuries, they added.
The Bodi police registered a case and detained two persons in connection with the incident. Police have been deployed in the village to ensure that no further violence erupts. It may be recalled that Express had carried a story on September 29, focussing on how caste could influence the polls and foster enmity among the locals.