The funeral procession of founder of Devendra Kula Velalar Koottamaippu, C. Pasupathi Pandian, from Tuticorin to Alangara Thattu, left a trail of violence on Wednesday night as onlookers and those who happened to pass by were attacked and shops on the route damaged in stone pelting.
He was laid to rest at his native village Alangara Thattu, beside his wife's memorial late on Wednesday night.
The procession deviated from the route prescribed by the police and entered the town. Shops and commercial establishments on the way suffered heavy damage from attack by those who accompanied the body. Many two and four-wheelers were also damaged in the attack. According to eyewitnesses, the procession was slow and the damage was heavy.
Miscreants hurled petrol bombs at two compartments of trains in Ramanathapuram district. Passengers of Rameswaram-Chennai Express and Madurai-Rameswaram passenger trains escaped unhurt when petrol bombs were hurled at them in two different locations between Paramakudi and Ramanathapuram. The first incident occurred at the Paramakudi railway station at 1.35 a.m. The entrance to one of the compartments caught fire when the petrol bomb hit It. Berths in a compartment of Rameswaram-Chennai Express caught fire when a petrol bomb was hurled at it near Ariyakudi Vilakku, between Chatirakudi and Paramakudi stations at around 6.35 p.m. In both the incidents, the fire was put out by passengers. No person was injured in the second incident as the compartment did not have many passengers.
Bus services in many parts of southern districts came to a grinding halt for the second day on Wednesday.
