The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : 10 injured in group clash near Mettupalayam

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Friday, Apr 25, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

10 injured in group clash near Mettupalayam

Staff Reporter

During filing of nominations for elections to various party posts

— Photo: By Special arrangement

ON TO THE ROAD: DMK cadres staging a road blockade on Thursday.

Mettuppalayam: Nearly ten persons were injured and some of them suffered head injuries in a clash between two groups of DMK during filing of nominations for the inner-party elections to various posts in Karamadai and Sirumugai blocks near Mettuppalayam on Thursday.

One group owing affiliation to former MLA and youth wing convener, P. Arunkumar, and another group supporting the district secretary and Minister, Pongalur N. Palanisamy, hurled chairs at each other at a marriage hall, leading to tense moments.

Police reinforcements on instructions from the Superintendent of Police, Coimbatore Rural District, G. Karthikeyan, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police S.T. Rajan separated the groups and defused the situation. Preliminary reports said four had been rushed to the Coimbatore Medical College hospital while the rest were either admitted to or treated as outpatients in private hospitals in Karmadai and Mettuppalayam.

The group owing affiliation to Mr. Arunkumar staged a road blockade near the Tholampalayam junction demanding action against the other group holding them responsible for the violent incidents while the group owing affiliation to the Minister staged a road blockade at the five road junction near the main road demanding action against the youth wing convener’s group.

Both groups demanded that cases be registered against those involved in clashes. A police team led by Mr. Rajan held talks with both groups and assured them that action would be taken against all those responsible for the violent events. Karamadai continued to remain tense till late evening with shop keepers downing shutters fearing further violence. Police have deployed reinforcements at Karamadai and Mettuppalayam. According to reports reaching here, nearly 200 supporters of Mr. Arunkumar got themselves admitted to the Mettuppalayam GH and other hospitals stating that they were injured in the attack by the rival group. After an hour long disruption of the road traffic between Mettuppalayam–Coimbatore–Udhagamandalam, the traffic remained normal in the evening.

Police said complaints had been received from either side and cases were being registered against members of both the groups and efforts were on to identify those involved in the attack.

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