JOIN USPolice has registered an attempt to murder case against People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy convenor S P Udayakumar, who is spearheading the campaign against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, and his associates following a complaint by a panchayat president.
A case was registered against Udhayakumar, his associate M Pushparayan and eight other PMANE activists after Idinthakarai panchayat president Sagaya Peklin Egecinec lodged a complaint alleging that a gang, “instigated by PMANE activists”, had tried to attack her and her husband Sagayaraj on Saturday night.
She claimed the activists had instigated the assailants to stop the panchyat from bringing a resolution in its council meeting for using special funds sanctioned by Tamil Nadu government for the development of the village.
Two of the relatives of the panchayat president have been admitted to a hospital with injuries, police said.
Cases were registered against the PMANE activists under various sections of IPC including 307 (attempt to murder).
Seeking to end the impasse over the Kudankulam nuclear plant issue, the Tamil Nadu government had on March 19 given its nod to the controversial project and announced a Rs 500 crore special development package for the area where it is located.
Following the announcement, Tirunelveli District Collector Selvaraj had asked the panchayat union presidents to come up with schemes for the development of the villages by convening a panchayat council and passing a resolution.
However, PMANE activists are against the panchayat passing the resolution as they fear it would affect the movement against the nuclear plant, police said.
The Regional Passport office in Madurai had on April 2 issued a notice to Udayakumar asking him to surrender his passport as 98 criminal cases are pending against him.
Udayakumar had sent a legal notice to the Passport Officer against this.