Hindu Munnani Stages Protest against police inaction over murder attempt on its leader

Tenkasi district Hindu Munnani staged a protest demanding immediate arrest of assailants involved in the murderous attack on legal wing district general secretary Venkatesh on November 21 and transfer the probe to CB-CID.

Tenkasi district Hindu Munnani Legal wing general secretary Venkatesh was attacked with iron rods by a gang of four and vandalized his office. According to Hindu Munnani functionary Issakki Muthu, “Vinnagaram Perumal Temple belonged to the Naickkar community. It is their family deity. There was a shop in front of the temple which was demolished after a court order in the 1980s. Meanwhile, Illavarasi, a Hindu converted to Christianity, tried to build a structure in front of the temple. Temple managing committee head Sankaran had objected to it. Illavarsi’s advocate Sivakumar and his men took up a quarrel with Sankar. Sankar’s son Ramakrishnan, who intervened, was attacked by Sivakumar’s gang. Both sides lodged a complaint accusing each other. The police had deleted Sivakumar’s name from the FIR”.

While explaining things further, he said “We came to know about the truth when an RTI was filed by Venkatesh.

Venkatesh later approached the HC to file a case against Sivakumar, seeking direction to stop the construction of a structure in front of the temple on the land belonging to the highways. Irked by this on Saturday, a group of four men allegedly sent by Sivakumar, entered Venkatesh’s office intending to kill him. They attacked Venkatesh with iron rods. They also damaged the computer, furniture and other belongings. Severely injured Venkatesh is now recuperating in a hospital. Venkatesh and his supporters complained to the police along with the CCTV footage. Police, who instead of arresting the people involved in the attack on Venkatesh, have registered a case under PCR (The protection of Civil Rights) Act against Venkatesh based on a complaint from the two mercenaries who belonged to SC community. We suspect police have taken side with Sivakumar”.

Meanwhile, Hindu Munnani leaders and supporters held a protest in front of Tenkasi New Bus stand on the 24th evening. The speakers at the protest meeting demanded transfer of the investigation to the CB-CID wing and immediate arrest of persons involved in the attack on Venkatesh. They also urged the police to drop the PCR case filed against Venkatesh.