The police arrested two ruling AIADMK functionaries for allegedly setting a 14-year-old girl on fire. The teenager died at the Villupuram Government Medical College and Hospital (VGMCH) in Mundiyambakkam on Monday.
The incident took place at Sirumadurai colony near Thiruvennainallur around 11.30 a.m. on Sunday. The victim, Jayashree, daughter of Jayabal, a petty shop owner, had sustained over 70% burns.
Also read:CM grants ₹5 lakh to Villupuram girl’s family
The arrested have been identified as G. Murugan, 52, husband of a former councillor and K. Kaliyaperumal, 60, both functionaries of the ruling AIADMK. Police said the victim and the men arrested belonged to the same community.
Villupuram Superintendent of Police S. Jayakumar said the duo was arrested based on the statement of the victim. “We are probing various angles,” he said.
Preliminary investigations by the police revealed that Murugan and Kaliyaperumal along with six others had assaulted Jayabal’s brother eight years ago. All the accused in the case had come out on bail.
The girl’s family has alleged that she was alone at home and looking after the shop in front of their house, when the duo reportedly poured kerosene and set her on fire. Neighbours heard her screams and rushed to her rescue.
The girl, in her declaration to a Magistrate, said that the duo had set her ablaze.
Functionaries expelled
On Monday evening, AIADMK coordinator O. Panneerselvam and co-coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami in a joint statement in Chennai expelled Kaliaperumal and Murugan, who were arrested in connection with the murder of the schoolgirl.
The statement said the two functionaries acted against the party’s principles and brought disrepute to the AIADMK. Hence they were being expelled from the primary membership of the party.
