Protests rocked several places in Dindigul district on Wednesday over the murder of a Dalit leader, disrupting bus services to several southern districts of Tamil Nadu.
Protests were held in various areas after Pasupathi Pandian, founder of Devendra Kula Velalar Kootamaippu (Federation), was hacked to death by unidentified persons in front of his residence in Dindigul district yesterday, they said
Some of these protests turned violent, with unidentified persons damaging buses and private vehicles by pelting stones.
Police said the situation was being closely monitored and bus services have resumed in some districts, including Madurai, Theni and Tuticorin, though they were delayed by over two hours.
Meanwhile, heavy police bandobast was made at Dindigul Government Hospital, where the body of Pandian (50) was kept after postmortem. The body was later taken to Talamuthunagar in Tuticorin district for funeral, officials said.
Although some parts of Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts are tense, the situation is under control, they said.
Special teams have been formed to nab the gang who hacked the Dalit leader, said a top police officer, adding bus services to sensitive areas had been cancelled as a precautionary step.
Meanwhile, educational institutions and shops in various areas of Dindigul district remained closed today in the aftermath of the murder.