VILLUPURAM: The Tindivanam court here on Wednesday awarded life sentence to six Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) men for murdering a Pattalil Makkal Katchi (PMK) cadre during a riot that took place in Marakanam in the year 2013.
According to sources, on April 25, 2013, the Vanniyar Sangam had organised a Chithirai Full Moon celebration at Mamalapuram and thousands of Vanniyar Sangam and PMK members came to attend the function. At Kazhikuppam near Marakanam, a clash broke out between the PMK members and the local villagers.
In this attack, Selvaraj (25) of Ariyalur and Vivek (17) of Tanjore, both PMK cadre sustained grievous injuries and were admitted to the Villupuram Government Medical College Hospital and Puducherry Government Hospital respectively. The duo succumbed to their injuries in the following days.
The rioters also set afire 11 houses, a small petty shop, four TNSTC buses, one PRTC bus and a car besides damaging the then district SP Manogaran’s car.
Marakanam police filed case against 1,512 persons from both sides and were inquiring further. On May 9, 2013 the CB-CID officials registered a murder case against six persons - Manigandan, Ragu, Senthilkumar, Parinathan, Raju and Sekar - of Kazhikuppam for brutally attacking Selvaraj. A 10-member CB-CID team lead by DSP Chandrasekar inquired more than hundred witnesses.
The trail was taking place at the Additional Judicial Magistrate Court II in Tindivanam and on September 5, 2013, the CB-CID team submitted their five hundred page report.
On Wednesday, Judge P Selvamuthu Kumari sentenced all the six accused for life in prison. She also imposed a penalty of Rs 10,000 on each of them. All six were later taken to the Cuddalore central prison.
Police protection was arranged to the Tindivanam court premises and also in key areas in the district to avoid any untoward incidents. Source said the six convicts were active members of the VCK and added that the case regarding the death of Vivek was proceeding in the court.
Rs 50 Lakh Aid Sought
Meanwhile, PMK founder S Ramadoss welcomed the verdict and said justice has won. He also demanded a solatioum of Rs 50 lakh to the kin of the deceased.
In a press release, Ramadoss said that the verdict has proved that PMK did not cause the riot and it was the VCK men who attacked the PMK cadre and created the riot. “Vivek and Selvaraj were brutally murdered and more than hundred PMK men were attacked by the VCK cadre. Police could have stopped this riot, instead they supported the VCK men. Other party leaders and the media also blamed me and the party. When I went to protest the murder of innocent party members, I was arrested. Now the judgement has brought out the truth,” said Ramadoss.
Ramadoss alleged that Vivek was also murdered by VCK members and said the trial was progressing in court. He also demanded Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to apologise for her statement in the assembly on April 29, 2013 that Selvaraj and Vivek had died after falling from a bus.