TIRUNELVELI: Condemning the murder of an advocate over a land dispute, over 100 advocates staged a road blockade in front of the District Court on Wednesday. The deceased, Saravanaraja (41) of Puliyankulam in Thoothukudi district, was hacked to death the previous day.
Along with a few other advocates, Saravanaraja had attempted to level a disputed parcel of land in Arokyanathapuram near Tirunelveli. “This irked a group of local residents who claimed ownership of the land.
Both groups entered into a quarrel over this on Tuesday, and when the brawl intensified, one of the residents hacked Saravanaraja. He was rushed to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday night,” a source said.
Perumalpuram police registered a case in this connection and commenced an inquiry with the suspects. Meanwhile, condemning the murder, over 100 advocates blocked the Tirunelveli-Thoothukudi road in front of the District Court on Wednesday.
They demanded the arrest of all the assailants, compensation for Saravanaraja’s family, permission for advocates to carry a gun and a separate law to ensure the safety of advocates.
“They demanded District Collector Dr K P Karthikeyan to convene a discussion with them. However, the revenue and police officials spoke to them and dispersed them. The advocates also boycotted the court proceedings on the day,” the source added.