TIRUNELVELI: Subash Pannaiyar, the prime accused in the murder of under-trial accused T Balasubramaniam alias Singaram (48), surrendered before the District Court here on Tuesday. The court granted him bail the same day.
The court had earlier announced Subash Pannaiyar as a ‘proclaimed offender’. Subash is now expected to appear for hearing of the Singaram murder case on October 12. The president of the All-India Nadar Padhukappu Peravai has a history of two-decade-long rivalry with the slain Dalit leader Pasupathi Pandian, founder of Devendrakula Vellalar Kootamaippu, who was allegedly murdered by Subash Pannaiyar’s henchmen at his house in Dindigul on 2012.
What originally began as a property issue between Pannaiyar’s family and a bank employee at Pullaveli village near Tiruchendur, has so far claimed more than a dozen lives from both communities. The feud dates back to 1990s when a property dispute arose between Subash Pannaiyar and Venkatesa Pannaiyar’s grandfather Sivasubramanian and one Rajagopal. After Rajagopal took the matter to Pasupathi Pandian, the rivalry between Pasupathi Pandian and Sivasubramanian began.
During 1993, Sivasubramanian’s son Asupathi Pannaiyar, who is the father of Subash Pannaiyar, was murdered by the rival gang. The same year, Sivasubramanian too got killed. Following the two murders, Pannaiyar family’s grudge towards Pasupathi Pandian and his men grew bigger. Several years later, Subash Pannaiyar’s brother Venkatesa Pannaiyar was killed in a police encounter.
In April 2006, Pasupathi Pandian and his wife Jesintha were attacked by a gang at Thoothukudi while they were travelling in a car. While Pasupathi managed to escape, Jesintha was killed. Following this, Pasupathi shifted to Dindigul. However, he was murdered in 2005 at his home. Nearly 10 years later, Subash Pannaiyar was targeted by a gang in 2016 at Pazhayakayal. As Subash escaped, his supporter Arumugasami was beheaded by the rivals.
On February 24, Subash Pannaiyar’s henchmen hacked Singaram, a close aide of Pasupathi Pandian, to death at KTC Nagar in broad daylight after overpowering the police escort. The gang first intercepted the police vehicle which was heading towards Thoothukudi court with five policemen to produce Singaram at the court and then hacked him with deadly weapons.
Subsequently, the policemen who failed to protect Singaram were suspended. In the following months, the police have arrested as many as nine persons involved in the murder. Based on the confessions of the accused, Subash Pannaiyar was asked to appear before the police for interrogation. However, as he continued to be absconding, the court announced him as ‘proclaimed offender’.