THANJAVUR, CHENNAI: Tamil Desiya Periyakkam president P Maniarasan was attacked by two unidentified bike-borne assailants on Sunday night. The 71-year-old Tamil nationalist who was riding pillion on a colleague’s bike fell on the road, sustained injuries on his knees and hands and was taken to the hospital. The Thanjavur medical college police, which said the assailants had made away with Maniarasan’s bag containing `700, ATM cards, PAN card, laptop and a mobile phone, booked two unknown persons under section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) of the Indian Penal Code.
Maniarasan, a resident of Kalaignar Nagar, was en route to the Thanjavur railway station to board the Chennai-bound Uzhavan Express when he was attacked by the duo, who had been following him on a bike for 2km, sources said citing CCTV footage from the New Bus Stand area. However, Tamil Desiya Periyakkam general secretary K Venkatraman suggested the assailants’ intention couldn’t have been robbery. He alleged that after the pro-Cauvery and anti-Sterlite protests, the Union and State governments were trying to repress progressive movements spearheading agitations.
To hammer home his point, Venkatraman cited the incarceration of Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader T Velmurugan and six Makkal Adhikaram workers under the stringent National Security Act and the arrest of two Naam Tamilar Katchi cadres. He also referred to the case filed against filmmaker Ameer over the comments he made during a television debate in Coimbatore and the trend of dissident voices being muzzled elsewhere in the country.
Other opposition political parties condemned the attack on Maniarasan. Calling for the arrest of the assailants, CPI State secretary R Mutharasan said, “Democratic forces of the State should protest against the Tamil Nadu government and police, which are trying to brand protesters as anti-social elements.”
Tamilar Desiya Munnani president Pazha Nedumaran, Manithaneya Makkal Katchi chief MH Jawahirullah, SDPI State president Dehlan Baqavi also demanded stringent action against the attackers and urged the State government to crack down on the anti-social elements trying to disturb the law and order situation.
3 police teams formed to nab assailants: CM
Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday told the Assembly that three police teams had been formed to nab the culprits who attacked Maniarasan in Thanjavur on Sunday night. Responding to the issue raised by opposition leaders, the CM said two unidentified persons pushed Maniarasan who was travelling as a pillion rider to the railway station. Maniarasan suffered minor injuries, after which the duo fled, taking away Maniarasan’s handbag, laptop, two ATM cards, PAN card and mobile phone