Vikkiravandi town panchayat chairman S. Arjunan (48), of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was hacked to death by unidentified persons when he was sitting in a rice shop on Bazaar Street on Tuesday afternoon.
Sources said that Arjunan was conversing with the shop owner Salam when two persons barged into the shop and attacked him.
When Mr. Salam tried to resist them they pushed him down and fled. All shops and commercial establishments in the area put up their shutters. A tense situation is prevailing. A strong posse of police personnel has been deployed.
‘Politically motivated'
Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy alleged that the murder was politically motivated. Until normality returns, polling in all the eight booths of the town panchayat, forming part of Vikkiravandi Assembly constituency, should be deferred. Mr. Ponmudy told The Hindu that Arjunan was a sincere and loyal worker, who had totally involved himself in the campaign, canvassing support for the DMK candidate K. Radhamani.
Mr. Ponmudy said that the daylight murder must have been executed by professional killers at the instigation of opponents. He denied that it was a fall out of inner-party wrangle. If it were so, why it should happen on the eve of the poll? Justifying his demand for postponing the polls, Mr. Ponmudy said that when 30 days were left for counting, the plea ought to be considered. He had represented to the Election Commission, Chief Electoral Officer and District Electoral Officer.Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss also expressed the view that since the situation at Vikkiravandi was volatile, the election in the town panchayat should be put off till peace is restored. It could be surmised that it must be the handiwork of mischievous elements supported by the Opposition.
‘An inner-party affair'
Former minister and AIADMK candidate for Villupuram constituency, C.Ve.Shanmugam, made a representation to the District Election Officer requesting him to conduct the poll as scheduled. He expressed the view that it was purely an inner-party affair and a retaliatory act for the murder of Town Panchayat Vice-Chairman Alaguvel, also of the DMK, a couple of years ago. Mr. Shanmugam further said that it also had a cast angle; while Alaguvel belonged to the Vanniyar community Arjunan was a Scheduled Caste. Their personal recrimination was out in the open and dated back to at least three years. Therefore, giving political colour to the incident was unfounded, unacceptable and condemnable.
'Fallout of personal rivalry'
CPI (M) state secretary G. Ramakrishnan said the murder was a fallout of personal rivalry and accused Mr Ponmudy of dragging the names of CPI (M) candidate for Vikravandi and former AIADMK minister C.Ve. Shanmugam for gaining political mileage. “Mr Ponmudy has indulged in mudslinging against the winning candidate of the AIADMK alliance. The EC should take action against him for his remarks made with ulterior motives,” said Mr Ramakrishnan.
In a statement, District Collector R.Palanisamy, who is also District Electoral Officer, said that elections would be held in all the eight wards of the Vikkiravandi Town Panchayat as scheduled.
