MADURAI: Two caste Hindus were arrested on Thursday for allegedly murdering a 37-year-old mechanic, from an SC community, by throwing rocks at his head in Achampattu in Madurai on Wednesday night.
The family of the victim, P Pandeeswaran of Achampathu, protested on the Madurai-Theni national highway late in the night, demanding the arrest of the murderers and compensation. They dispersed after SP R Shiva Prasad assured them of action. This incident comes days after five SC persons, including a minor, were assaulted by caste Hindus on November 27 in Perungudi in the district.
DUO IN JUDICIAL REMAND
According to the Madurai rural police, the suspects behind Pandeeswaran’s killing are S Gopi alias Gopalakrishnan of Achampathu and R Muthu alias Muthukumar of Nagamalai Pudukkottai.
Police said that at 9.45pm on Wednesday, Pandeeswaran was talking to villagers in Gandhi Nagar Street when Gopi and Muthu picked up a quarrel with him. On November 19, the two men had demanded Pandeeswaran give them money to buy liquor but he refused. Gopi allegedly argued with him and abused him by his caste name but others intervened and stopped him.
On Wednesday, Gopi and Muthu quarelled with Pandeeswaran, abused him by his caste name, pushed him into a drain and killed him by throwing two rocks at his head, police said. Bystanders tried to stop the assault but in vain. Nagamalai Pudukkottai police shifted the body to Government Rajaji Hospital for post-mortem. Nagamalai Pudukkottai police on Thursday registered a case under provisions of the SC/ST Act and the IPC. Both Gopi and Muthukumar were arrested and remanded to judicial custody.