The Nilgiris district police on Monday confirmed that another person had been arrested in connection with the murder of a security guard during an attempted burglary at the Kodanad Estate, belonging to former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, on April 24.
Police sources here confirmed that their counterparts in Kerala had arrested Valayaar alias Manoj, a resident of Thrissur, on Monday.
Since Saturday, a total of seven persons have been arrested in connection with the incident.
One suspect was killed in an accident while another sustained injuries in a separate mishap.
The police are on the lookout for two more individuals, who are said to be on the run.
CB-CID probe sought
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has urged the State Government to take over the Kodanad Estate.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, its State secretary, G. Ramakrishnan, said the explanations that both the accused were involved in different road accidents in different places “is not convincing”.
“First, it was said that the murder in Kodanad Estate was merely for looting properties. But, the way the crime has unfolded, the police need to get to the bottom of the case,” he said. Hence, he sought a probe by the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Su Thirunavukkarasar on Monday said that the properties acquired by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, particularly those purchased after her entry into politics, should be nationalised.
Addressing the media after attending the gram sabha meeting at Perumanadu near here on Monday, he said that properties such as the Kodanad Estate in Nilgiris and bungalow in Siruthavur near Chennai should be taken over by the government.
Her Poes Garden bungalow in Chennai should be converted into a memorial. He wanted the sensational burglary and murder case at Kodanad Estate to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Meanwhile,Mr. Thirunavukkarasar said that the opposition parties which recently responded to the all-party bandh called by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in support of the farmers’ demands, should join together to forge a political alliance.
He said that the intra-party tussle in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam had brought the State’s administrative machinery to a grinding halt, affecting the masses to a great extent.
(With additional inputs from Balaganessin in Pudukottai)
