TIRUCHY: Tension prevailed in parts of the city on Monday following the murder of a BJP functionary. The family of the victim quickly declared there was no communal angle to it, averting a major communal flare-up. Vijayaraghu (38) of Varaganeri is the secretary of the Palakarai unit of the BJP. He works in the parking lot in Gandhi Market. Around 6 am, he left for work with his brother Senthil Kumar.
En route, the duo stopped at an eatery and ordered tea. Even as they waited, a gang of three attacked him with sharp weapons. He was taken to the MGMGH where he died around 8 am. As news spread, BJP cadre staged a protest in front of the hospital demanding immediate arrest of the assailants.
Inquiries by police revealed that one of the assailants was M Babu also known as Mittai Babu (24), son of Usain Mohammed. Babu and Vijayaraghu had enmity over some personal issues. Babu is alleged to have assaulted Vijayaraghu and Senthil Kumar in 2017 and 2019. He was arrested for attempt to murder in December 2019 and came out on bail on January 10.
Even as rumours attributed communal angle to Vijayaraghu’s murder, his family made it clear that he was killed over personal enmity and that there was no communal angle. Usha Rani, Vijayraghu’s sister, said, “Babu murdered my brother due to a fight over a cell phone theft. Last year, he stole a cell phone from a hotel and my brother confronted him. Their enmity started then.”
She added, “We did not lodged police complaint because he lived in our locality. We never thought a cell phone issue would turn so grave.” Vijayaraghu’s daughter, however, said her father had warned them to be safe, as Babu was seen near the house frequently.
Police officers too rebuffed the communal angle, saying the suspects belonged to different faiths. A Amalraj, IG, Central Zone, said, “There is no religious enmity. All three suspects belong to different religions. We will catch them soon.”Police, however, tightened security in the city.
After post mortem examination, the body was taken from the GH to Varaganeri. Hundreds of BJP cadre and leaders including former minister Pon Radhakrishnan, who was in the city for an event, were present at the MGMGH to collect Vijayaraghu’s body.
(With inputs from Jayakumar Madala)