One killed, another hacked near Uchipuli

In a sequel to clashes between people of two communities

RAMANATHAPURAM

Tension prevailed in two coastal villages near Uchipuli in the district on Monday after a group of people waylaid and murdered a man and hacked his friend in a sequel to clashes between people of two communities over wearing a tee shirt, displaying portrait of a community leader.

Police said in a sequel to the May 26 incident over wearing a tee shirt, a group of people waylaid two men near a liquor shop at the interior Alaikathavalasai on Sunday night and murdered one of them by slitting the throat with an ‘

aruval ’ and hacked the other. The victims were identified as A. Nagarajan (35) and C. Lakshmanan (35), both from Dargavalasai and engaged in fishing.

The grievously injured Lakshmanan was admitted to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai and his condition was stable, the police said.

Meanwhile, tension mounted at Ramanathapuram Government Headquarters Hospital, where the body of Nagarajan was kept, when villagers and his family members staged a protest.

After Additional Superintendent of Police S. Vellaidurai and other police officials intervened, they accepted the body and conducted the funeral in the evening.

Police picketing, headed by ASP T. Inbamani had been posted in at least six places in the trouble-torn villages, the police said. “The situation is calm and well under control,” Superintendent of police Omprakash Meena told The Hindu .

He said three special teams, including one headed by Assistant SP S. Sarvesh Raj, had been formed to nab the culprits, he said.

The police have detained three persons for questioning in connection with the murder. In all, the police have named 25 accused.

The police said trouble broke out on May 26 when a group of people from Thoppuvalasai assaulted a man from Dargavalasai for wearing a tee shirt with the portrait of their community leader and entering into their area.

A group of people from Thoppuvalasai went to Dargavalasai the same day only to be assaulted and chased away. Sensing trouble, the police posted pickets in the two villages, but the murder happened at Alaikathavalasai, an interior place, the police said.

This was the second murder with communal overtones in the district in May. A 16-year-old boy was murdered in Paramakudi on the night of May 11 during Chithirai festival.