VELLORE: Tension prevailed in Vaniyambadi and Ambur towns after a six-member gang assaulted State vice-president of the BJP’s Endowment Cell Sivaprakasam (60), when he was coming out of a temple at Vaniyambadi New Town around 6.30 am on Friday. He was taken to Government Vaniyambadi Hospital, where the doctors declared him to be “out of danger”. Later, BJP National Secretary H Raja called on Sivaprakasam.
Within 30 minutes of the incident, a large number of saffron-wing members gathered at the spot and staged a road blockade. The activists blocked traffic around the Vaniyambadi bus stand from 7.30 am, demanding that the police arrest the assailants. They also entered into a heated debate with the police officials, who rushed to the spot and tried to disperse the crowd.
Police said Sivaprakasam, a native of Vellakuttai, had been staying in a rented house in Vaniyambadi for the past three months. On Friday, when he was coming out of the Vinayagar Temple in the New Town area, a gang of six motorcycle-borne assailants pounced on him and began beating him up with rods. Even as they were raining blows on Sivapra- kasam, he fell into a drain and began to cry for help.
Heeding to Sivaprakasam’s cries, a few by-standers rushed to the spot.
On seeing a crowd gathering, the assailants fled the spot. Sivaprakasam was taken to the government hospital, where he received 14 stitches on his head.
He also suffered injuries in the abdomen and on the upper body.
After visiting him, Raja condemned the attack on his partyman and called for stern action against the assailants.
Meanwhile, the leaders of Hindu outfits called for a bandh in Vaniyambadi and Ambur towns on Saturday to register their protest against the attack.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Vellore Range, R Tamil Chandran, and the Superintendent of Police rushed to Vaniyambadi Town and conducted an inquiry. A heavy posse of security personnel was deployed in the area to keep the tempers from flaring up. Senior police officials were camping in the area and reviewing the security arrangements.
Meanwhile, the police secured four youth later in the day and conducted an inquiry.