'Hindu Munnani leader Sasikumar was killed after police withdrew cover'

 COIMBATORE/ CHENNAI :Hindu Munnani functionary C Sasikumar was murdered only after the police had withdrawn protection provided to him two weeks ago, said Pon Radhakrishnan, Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, here on Monday.

“The police provided protection to Sasikumar for one year and had withdrawn it 15 days ago, which resulted in his murder. If the police had given protection, the family members and the Hindu fraternity would not have suffered this setback. It is time that police take serious efforts and arrest the killers. The police should also take steps to prevent such incidents in future and provide protection to Hindu leaders,” Pon Radhakrishnan told reporters, after enquiring with the kin of Sasikumar near Thudiyalur.

The Minister also said that the funeral procession of Sasikumar that started from the Coimbatore Medical College has turned violent when it reached a place of worship when a group of persons reportedly started throwing stones, and the situation was later brought under control by the police.

In Chennai, DMK president M Karunanidhi condemned the violence triggered in the wake of the murder, in which shops, places of worship and residences of those from other communities came under attack. Messages reveal that the murder was committed by a gang of hired killers who have, of late, been bumping off men.

“Top priority must be given to trace and arrest the culprits,” Karunanidhi said. However, the Hindu Munnani men have taken law into their hands and unleashed violence, he said.

Meanwhile, the special team formed to nab the accused in the Sasikumar murder case is clueless about those involved in the murder. They have already questioned over 500 people, besides recording the statements of 100 people. Now, they are investigating in six different angles.

“We have not arrested anyone so far. We have enquired about more than 500 people. Certain persons  have been interrogated by top police officials in a highly confidential way. But we are still clueless. We are probing in six different angles,” an investigating officer in the special team said. “We are also looking at other possible angles, like involvement of members of some other outfits in nearby states like Kerala,” he added.

Besides the six teams, the district police has formed two more special teams to probe the case in an efficient manner.