TARGET OF FURY: The building housing Dinakaran, Sun TV and other media offices ablaze after being attacked by protesters in Madurai on Wednesday. — Photo: S. James

MADURAI: Three persons were killed when supporters of M.K. Azhagiri, son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, set ablaze the offices of Tamil daily Dinakaran and Sun TV Network here protesting the results of a survey published by the newspaper on Wednesday. The attack was launched in broad daylight in the presence of policemen.

Petrol bombs hurled

Petrol bombs were hurled into the building that also houses another newspaper Tamil Murasu, on the Madurai-Melur national highway around 10.45 a.m. Earlier, a mob attacked a local cable television office at Shenoy Nagar and ransacked its studio. At least seven buses, five of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, were damaged in stone pelting.

Dinakaran had published the results of what it claimed to be a State-wide survey on, among other things, who would be the political heir of Mr. Karunanidhi. The named contenders were three children of the Chief Minister — Local Administration Minister and party deputy general secretary M.K. Stalin, the Madurai-based Mr. Azhagiri and poet Kanimozhi. The survey voted Mr. Stalin as the frontrunner with 70 per cent. Mr. Azhagiri and Ms. Kanimozhi had 2 per cent support each, the survey said.

The results drew instant protests from Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam cadres in the city, particularly the staunch loyalists of Mr. Azhagiri. Senior party functionaries, including Madurai Mayor G. Thenmozhi, burnt copies of the newspaper at several places and raised slogans condemning the survey. Sensing trouble, the Madurai district police deployed a team of anti-riot police led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police outside the offices.

Despite the presence of the police, the culprits, who came in motorcycles and a car, pelted stones damaging windowpanes. Even as the employees were rushing out, the attackers hurled petrol bombs. The office was gutted in the attack that lasted at least 20 minutes. The newspaper management said it had not calculated the extent of damage yet. Flames and thick smoke engulfed the building for hours, preventing the entry of fire service personnel.

Two employees, M. Vinod Kumar (23) and G. Gopinath (25), trapped in a room, fell unconscious due to suffocation. They were declared dead on admission to a private hospital. A hospital source said one of them had suffered a head injury. The charred body of a private security guard, K. Muthuramalingam (42), was found amid the debris in the evening.

The staff of Dinakaran, Sun TV and Tamil Murasu blocked traffic on the national highway for hours demanding the arrest of Mr. Azhagiri, holding him responsible for the incident. The police registered a case and arrested two persons — Pandi and Batcha.

Sun TV Network CMD Kalanithi Maran, who reached the city, called it an attack on "the freedom of the press" and vowed to "fight till we get justice."

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