Other States - Puducherry   

One killed, 11 injured in group clash

Photo: T. Singaravelou

The injured persons being treated at the General Hospital in Puducherry. —

PUDUCHERRY: A 65-year-old person was murdered and 11 persons were injured when two groups clashed at Pilliarkuppam in Bahour Assembly constituency on Monday .

According to police, the clash broke out late in the evening between the supporters of Social Welfare Minister M. Kandasamy and former Member of the Legislative Assembly P. Rajavelu. Subramanian, a resident of Pilliarkuppam, was hit by an iron pipe on his head. He was rushed to a private medical college at Kirumampakkam, where the doctors declared him ‘brought dead,’ the police said.

Eleven persons, including five women, sustained minor injuries. They were admitted to Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute here. More than 10 houses were ransacked and bicycles belonging to the locals damaged, the police said.

Trouble started after Arivazhagan, son of Subramanian and supporter of Mr. Rajavelu, was assaulted by a four-member gang.

Arivazhagan returned to his villageand informed his relatives and friends about the incident.

They went in procession to the office of local councillor Verappan, who is a confidant of Mr. Kandasamy. Some miscreants from the group hurled stones inside the councillor’s office.

Mr. Verappan then led a group to Pilliarkuppam and attacked some of the residents, the police said.

On Tuesday, tension prevailed near the government hospital as several supporters of Mr. Rajavelu gathered and threatened to stage a road roko if the police failed to register cases against those behind the incident.

The crowd dispersed following an assurance from the police that stern action would be taken against the culprits.

Inspector of Bahour region B. Ranganathan said that cases had been registered against 17 persons, including the councillor and Minister’s brother Balu .

Cases were registered under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 302 (punishment for murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons of means) 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs 50 or more) and 452 (house trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code.

A special team had been formed to arrest the accused, he said.

Subramanian’s body was handed over to his relatives after post-mortem. Additional police force have been deployed at Kirumampakkam and Bahour police station limits to prevent any untoward incident, the police said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

One killed, 11 injured in group clash
Applications invited for trauma technician course
Women’s Commission to train school teachers
NSS students to attend training for R-Day
More accident cases at Puducherry hospitals during Deepavali weekend
Staff of private schools seek more pay
Puducherry court to be shifted to new premises soon

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu