ndicative of the deep caste overtones in the western region, S. Yuvaraj, the prime accused in the murder of Dalit youth V. Gokulraj, surrendered before the CB-CID officials here on Sunday morning amid rousing welcome from the members of his caste.
Wanted by the State police, Yuvaraj, the founder of Theeran Chinnamalai Gounder Peravai, went into hiding soon after the gruesome murder in June and had successfully managed to evade arrest for over 100 days.
In the meantime, he had challenged the police force by releasing audio clips and by giving interviews to television channels from unidentified locations.
With the CB-CID intensifying search of various places, including his home, the caste outfit’s leader announced that he would surrender on Sunday. With a few hundred supporters waiting for his arrival at the CB-CID office on Salem road, Yuvaraj, clad in black T-shirt and ‘lungi’ and wearing a red cap, came riding pillion on a two-wheeler
On arrival, he threw the cap in the air and switched to his usual white shirt and black trousers. He flashed a thumbs-up as members of his caste outfit raised slogans hailing him. Addressing the media, Yuvaraj said he would face the case legally and prove his innocence.
The police had a tough time in controlling the crowd as he entered the office at 11.10 a.m and submitted his surrender petition through his lawyer Pazha Anand.
In the petition, Yuvaraj claimed that he was wrongly implicated in the case. He came to know that an arrest warrant had been issued against him through media reports. He further claimed that a few political parties had stepped up the pressure on government to include him the case to curb the activities of Theeran Chinnamalai Gounder Peravai.
A CB-CID team, led by SP G. Nagajothi and ADSP G. Stalin, has starting interrogating Yuvaraj. He would be produced in the court on Monday seeking police custody, sources said.
Earlier in the day, security was intensified with over 800 police personnel posted across the district to prevent any caste clashes. Vehicles were checked, but Yuvaraj, who police say has been in the district for the past one week, managed to reach the CB-CID office and surrender.
Since Gokulraj’s beheaded body was found on railway track near Pallipalayam on June 24, Yuvaraj was on the run and had been releasing audio clips from an unidentified location.
The CB-CID officials had recently raided his house and this put pressure on him to surrender, police said. The case of Gokulraj’s death originally investigated by the district police was transferred to the CB-CID following the suicide of DSP Vishnupriya.
security was intensified
in the district to prevent any caste clashes
