G. Perumal (38), farmer and Deivaseyalpuram branch secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist), was allegedly assaulted by an armed gang at Deivaseyalpuram on Saturday morning. Besides, his cellphone and Rs. 80 in cash were also taken away by the gang. The victim has been admitted to the Tuticorin Government Medical College Hospital.
He had led a public meeting at Deivaseyalpuram in Srivaikuntam taluk on September 24 against the land mafia, accused of usurping huge tracts of agriculture land. Irked over the attack on the farmer, CPI(M) cadres took to Palayamkottai Road here and blocked vehicular traffic seeking action against those behind the attack.
Police personnel assured them of action against the accused, following which they dispersed.
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Condemning the incident as a ‘murderous attack’ by the land mafia, G. Ramakrishnan, State secretary of CPI(M), said in a statement that the Pudukkottai police were acting in favour of the land mafia, ignoring the several complaints of land grabbing at Deivaseyalpuram lodged by the cadres. Though 10 complaints were lodged with the Pudukkottai police last year, no action had been taken against the land mafia.
On Perumal’s attack, Mr. Soundararajan said that the five-member gang sprayed chilli powder and hit him on his head with logs. He received stitches, besides suffering fractures in both his arms. The Deivaseyalpuram farmers had been undertaking farming operations on 915 acres of land and the mafia had been attempting to usurp the land since 2008. CPI(M) cadres, including K. Kanagaraj, State executive council member, K.S. Arjunan, district secretary, and K.P. Perumal, district secretary of CPI(M)’s farmers’ wing, staged a demonsration to highlight the issue on September 23 at Deivaseyalpuram. They were threatened.
The mafia members also threatened the office-bearers of the party at Pudukottai police station ahead of lodging a complaint about the incident. Hence, Mr. Ramakrishnan sought protection for farmers of Deivaseyalpuram and Pottaloorani village.
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Superintendent of Police Ashwin M. Kotnis said that special teams had been formed to nab the accused. Based on a complaint lodged by the injured farmer, a case has been registered by the Pudukottai police.