Six persons belonging to a dominant community have been arrested for the murder of two Dalit youths in a village near Arakkonam, 75 km from Chennai, in Ranipet district on Wednesday.
The murder took place at Gautham Nagar near Guruvarajapet in Ranipet district after a wordy dual turned into a clash between two groups belonging to different communities. All six arrested for the crime hail from the dominant Vanniyar caste, while the deceased – Suriya and Arjunan – were Dalits.
Three more youth belonging to the Dalit community were injured in the attack and two of them are being treated at Tiruvallur District Government Hospital, while one has been sent home after treatment.
“Eight persons were named in the complaint and we have arrested six persons so far. We are investigating the case, and all perpetrators will be brought to justice. It began with a quarrel ending in the murder of two people,” R Sivakumar, Superintendent of Police, Ranipet District, told DH.
Besides other sections of the IPC, police have also invoked provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 against the alleged accused.
While Sivakumar ruled out “caste” or “political” angle to the murder, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol. Thirumavalavan has alleged the Dalit youths were beaten to death by men from Vanniyar community due to various incidents that took place during the just-concluded assembly elections.
VCK contested the April 6 assembly poll in Arakkonam constituency taking on ruling AIADMK. Thirumavalavan claimed that sons of an AIADMK functionary along with “caste fanatics” in the ruling party and its alliance partner, PMK, have committed the “double murder”.
“Dalits have been attacked in several places in Tamil Nadu after voting has concluded. The fear of losing the election has caused some of the AIADMK-BJP-PMK to indulge in violence...caste fanatics are unable to digest the fact that the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance which includes the VCK will achieve a massive victory in the elections,” Thirumavalavan said in a statement.
DMK President M K Stalin also issued a statement condemning the “double murder” and urged the police to take strict measures to maintain law and order till a new government is formed in the state.