TIRUVANNAMALAI: Two days after a Dalit youth was allegedly murdered in a caste clash at Vilvarani village near Kalasapakkam, police on Tuesday secured five suspects, while one suspect surrendered before a special court in Tiruvannamalai district. A special police team led by Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police T Ashok Kumar took into custody Dhayalan, Dheelipan, Kirubakaran, Boopalan, and Jayakandan. The suspect who surrendered before the court was identified as Murali. “Search for other suspects are underway. Hundreds of police personnel, led by DSPs, have been deployed at Vilvanur and Elathur villages to prevent any further clash,” Ashok Kumar told Express.
M Kalaiarasan (29) of Vilvarani village and his friends were playing volley ball at the village on Sunday when a group of caste Hindu men rode two-wheelers near the spot in a rash manner. The former group objected to the rash driving and an argument broke out between the groups, which soon resulted in a fight. Kalaiarasan was allegedly stabbed by Dhayalan in the melee. The Dalit youth’s villagers rushed him to Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
Meanwhile, Dhayalan and his friends fled the spot leaving behind their two-wheelers, which were torched by Vilvarani villagers on Sunday night.On Monday, the villagers staged a road roko demanding compensation and a government job for one of Kalaiarasan’s family members.