The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Fishing hamlet tense after mob attack

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 29, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Fishing hamlet tense after mob attack

City Bureau

Tsunami relief beneficiary asked to part with the benefit

MOB FURY: One of the houses smashed up by a mob at Nallathanneer Odai Kuppam near Tiruvottiyur on Tuesday. — Photo : Special Arrangement

CHENNAI: The atmosphere before the Government Stanley Hospital's casualty ward was tense with police present in force and the guard on duty regulating patients and visitors.

Women members of one group were talking in hushed tones about not signing on the dotted line as required by the Hospital. Standing by was another group of people from Nalla Thanneer Odai Kuppam near Tiruvottiyur. Their homes and shops were gutted and some of their family members injured in a mob attack in the early hours of Tuesday.

The mob attack at the north Chennai fishing hamlet was the result of a feud that was simmering for the past fortnight.

Govindarajan, the eldest of five brothers whose families were excommunicated by the villagers three months ago, said 10 days ago there were attempts by the Kasimedu Aikkiya Panchayat and the police to bring peace between the clashing groups.

One of Govindarajan's family members has been missing since the December 2004 tsunami and the family got a boat from an NGO as donation. The Kuppam's panchayat demanded that the boat be handed over to the community leaders and accused the family members of appropriating some nets handed over by another service organisation and "imposed a fine of Rs.1.5 lakhs on the family."

When they refused to comply with the demands, the five families were excommunicated, drinking water was denied, the Cable TV cut off and no provision shop was allowed to sell them supplies.

The family of a local advocate suffered a similar fate at the hands of the panchayatdars and also ex-communicated after he lodged a complaint with the local police. The advocate took the case to the High Court, as also the cause of the five families. This had apparently irritated the community leaders.

Govindarajan said the families had sensed a threat the previous night and alerted the police. A policeman from Tiruvottiyur station who came to the village questioned a crowd that had gathered. But he was told that the crowd had come out fearing a tsunami threat. After the police left, a marauding mob moved in and set upon the five families huddled in two houses.

The assailants entered from all sides, including breaking in from the roof. "Not only our house, but the shop of Kalvi, brother of Jagadeesan's wife, was also broken into, just because he spoke to us," said Panchanathan.

Venkatesan said some in the mob were armed with sticks and knives. Even one-year-old Bhuvaneshwari was not spared. She received an injury on her head, near the eye. Three others, Rama, Kala and Saraswathi, were also injured.

Advocate K. Gopal said his house too was broken into. Tension prevailed in the area throughout Tuesday as a posse of policemen, including a Tamil Nadu Special Police battalion, was posted at the Kuppam.

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