Tension prevailed at Alangudi town in Pudukottai district since the late hours on Sunday after a man and his son were attacked by a group owing to previous enmity. In retaliation, some shops in the town were damaged.
The injured duo, G. Muruganandam, 28, of Mangottai and his father, Ganesan, were assaulted by the group, in retaliation to a brawl the former had with one Jafaralluh of Alangudi last month, police said.
Police said that Muruganandham, who is engaged in the business of installing advertisement hoardings, and his father were closing their shop in Alangudi late on Sunday when a group of seven persons attacked them with knives, bottles and wooden logs.
As news of the attack spread, some of their relatives and workers serving in his shop allegedly damaged few shops, including a couple of medical shops in the town.
Muruganandham was said to have been made a local level office bearer of Hindu Munnani recently but the police would not confirm it.
Police pickets were posted at various places in Alangudi on Monday and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tiruchi Range V. Balakrishnan and Superintendent of Police, Pudukottai, Selvaraj, rushed to the town to bring the situation under control.
Muruganandham and Ganesan are undergoing treatment in a private hospital at Thanjavur.
Peace meeting
A peace meeting, presided by Revenue Divisional Officer, Pudukottai, was held on Monday evening to ensure peace.
A section of traders and representatives of the local Jammath besides some prominent persons from Mangottai village participated in the meeting.
During the hour-long meeting held at the Alangudi Taluk office, officials urged the locals not to give the issue a communal twist and assured them of appropriate action against those who attacked Muruganandham and those who damaged the shops.
Some shops and business establishments in Alangudi town remained shut on Monday.
Mr. Balakrishnan told The Hindu that the attack on Muruganandham and his father was due to personal motive and there was no communal angle to the incident. The situation at Alangudi was well under control, he said.
Meanwhile, Alangudi police registered separate cases based on complaints lodged by both sides. Police sources said a couple of persons have been detained in connection with the attack on Muruganandham and his father, and four others for damaging the shops.
Meanwhile, Hindu Munnani state president Kadesa Subramanian along with a few others were intercepted and detained at Tiruchi - Thanjavur border toll plaza when they were on their way to call on Muruganandham and his father at the hospital in Thanjavur. They were taken to the Thuvakudi police station for talks.
