DMK MP Kanimozhi on Monday, handed over a cheque of ₹1 crore, issued by the Tamil Nadu government, to the family of Lourdhu Francis, former Village Administrative Officer (VAO) of Murappanaadu, who was murdered in his office by members of a sand mafia last week.
In the presence of Minister for Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Anita R. Radhakrishnan and Thoothukudi District Collector K. Senthil Raj, Ms. Kanimozhi handed over the cheque to Francis’s wife, at her residence in Soosai Pandiyapuram near Pudukottai.
Francis had filed a complaint with the Murappanaadu police, seeking action against illicit sand miners Ramasubramnanian and his associate Marimuthu. Angered over this, the duo entered his office and allegedly hacked him to death on April 25. The accused persons were later arrested by the police.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had announced ₹1 crore as solatium to Bonsita, Francis’s wife, and had promised to give employment to a family member.
According to Ms. Kanimozhi, the district administration had taken all steps to render justice to the family of the deceased VAO, while measures had been put in place to check illicit sand mining in all parts of Thoothukudi district by deploying taluk-level taskforces with officials drawn from revenue, police, rural development and the public works departments.
Sub-Collector, Thoothukudi, Gaurav Kumar, District Revenue Officer Ajay Srinivasan and Ottapidaram MLA C. Shanmugaiah were present.
