COIMBATORE: Two more auto-rickshaws belonging to Hindu and Muslim outfit members were vandalised by bike-borne miscreants on Monday late night in the city. This is the sixth consecutive vehicle assault incident in the past week in the city. According to the police, one auto belongs to Mohammad Sheriff (39), a functionary of a trade union attached with Manithaneya Makkal Katchi. A resident of Thirumoorthy Nagar near Kuniyamuthur in the city, his auto was attacked on Puttuvikky road near Kovaipudur around 11.30 pm. He was reportedly heading towards a house when four unidentified persons came from the opposite direction and pelted the windshield of his auto with stones. On alert, the city police and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) L Balaji Saravanan reached the spot. The Kuniyamuthur police registered a case and investigating.
Another auto rickshaw, owned by a BJP trade union functionary, was damaged by unidentified men in the same locality. Karthik (26) had parked his auto-rickshaw in front of his house at Ganga Nagar near Kuniyamuthur. On Tuesday morning, he found the windshield of his vehicle damaged. He lodged a complaint at the Kuniyamuthur police, which registered the case and investigating.
Two held for damaging vehicles belonging to Muslim trader
Meanwhile, the city police arrested two persons on Tuesday, for allegedly vandalizing two parked vehicles belonging to a Muslim trader on Monday in the city. According to the police, there was no communal motive behind the incident as they damaged the vehicles under the influence of alcohol.
The arrested persons were identified as N Laddu Manikandan alias Manikandan (36), a resident of Kempatty colony, and P RanjithKumar (47), a resident of Vysial Street near Town Hall in the city. The police said the duo, along with another two persons -- Rajesh from Kempatty colony and Vasanth from Selvapuram -- damaged a car and a load vehicle belonging to Ismail, a trader from Chetty street in the city. A special team was formed to nab the others.
Two from Hindu outfits held for hurling petrol bomb on a mosque
Two members of Hindu outfits were arrested by the city police on Tuesday, for allegedly hurling a petrol bomb at Hidayathul Sunnath Jamath Mosque at Vedhambal Nagar near Ganapathy on March 5.
The suspects were identified as K Pandi alias Sadaiyandi (41), a member of BJP from Periyasamy layout near Rathinapuri, and V Akil (23), a member of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and a resident of Manikkavasakar Street in Rathinapuri. The suspects reportedly confessed to having thrown the bomb for condemning the assault on M Anand (33) district secretary of Hindu Munnani, near Nanjundapuram on March 4. According to a source, the duo had other plans too that would have created a law and order situation in the city, added the source. The police began an investigation based on a complaint received from the Jamath Secretary, S Kabeer (59).
According to the police, on Tuesday early morning, the Saravanampatti police secured the duo during a vehicle check near Chinnavedampatti on suspicion. Later in the investigation, they confessed their role in the incident. After arresting the duo, police seized a bike, two mobile phones and materials which were used to make the petrol bomb from them.