TIRUPPUR: A special team of police on Thursday arrested two suspects from Erode in connection with the attack on Nesaprabhu (30), who works as reporter for a Tamil TV channel in Palladam on Wednesday night. The suspects were identified as Praveen of Erode and Saravanan of Tiruppur.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin transferred Kamanaickenpalayam police inspector P Ravi to the waiting list for failing to respond to Nesaprabhu’s call for help. Also, the CM released `3 lakh from the journalist welfare fund to Nesaprabhu, who is admitted in a private hospital in Coimbatore.
As per sources, Nesaprabhu, of Kamanaickenpalayam in Palladam, saw a gang chasing him around 9.45 pm on Wednesday while he was returning home and called up Kamanaickenpalayam police. But the constable who attended the call told him to come to the station and lodge a complaint.
The purported audio clip of the conversation has gone viral. “Two bikers are moving suspiciously, they have no number plate and I fear for my life. Please help me’”, Nesaprabhu was heard saying. The constable replies, “Tell me the registration number of bike and colour’.
Fearing an attack, he decided to go to Kamanaickenpalayam police station for safety and took a car. En route, he stopped in a fuel station and called police again. “Two bikers who were earlier following me throughout the day, are moving swiftly before me. Five cars have arrived at my spot. I don’t know what to do. My life is gone... My life is gone,” he told police.
He then hid in a room in a petrol bunk, but the gang broke it open and attacked him with sharp weapons. Locals rescued Nesaprabhu and admitted him in Palladam GH, from where he was shifted to a private hospital in Coimbatore. Kamanaickenpalayam police registered a case and formed four teams to investigate.
On Thursday, leaders from BJP, AMMK, PMK and MDMK condemned the incident. Reporters in Tiruppur staged a protest near the collectorate. Union Minister of State for Broadcasting L Murugan and TN Minister for Information & Publicity P Saminathan visited Nesaprabhu in the hospital.
Nesaprabhu’s brother Mohankumar said he suffered severe injuries on his hands and legs and was operated upon. “He is under observation. Police promised to give us the FIR copy, but we are yet to receive it,” he told TNIE.
Superintendent of Police P Saminathan said a case was registered under IPC section 307. He added “ The police personnel who first picked up the call from the reporter did not realise the seriousness of the situation. The SB inspector identified Nesaprabhu based on his phone number.” DIG (Coimbatore) Saravana Sunder said, “Praveen and Saravanan, who were arrested in Erode, confessed that it was a revenge attack. A detailed probe will bring out the facts.”
