Man murdered in Theni for opposing quarry operation

MADURAI: A 43-year-old man was allegedly murdered near Cumbum in Theni district over a previous enmity. The incident occurred inside a community hall at Kamayagoundanpatti on Monday night when the victim was called for talks.

The victim has been identified as C Sathish Kumar alias Sasi Kumar of VOC Street, Suruli Road, Cumbum, sources said.

Earlier, the victim was actively engaged in protests against operations in a stone quarry, which is located at Sangili Karadu, and called for action to stop the exploitation of natural resources and smuggling them to the neighbouring state of Kerala.

Moreover, the victim also claimed that rocks were blasted in an unsafe environment, endangering the lives of workers.

A group hatched a plot to kill him and called the victim to the community hall, where he engaged in a verbal altercation with them, under some pretext, on Monday evening. When the victim got into a heated exchange, Chinnasamy of Kamayagoundanpatti stabbed him in his neck, leaving him in a pool of blood.

The seriously injured victim was then rushed to Cumbum Government Hospital. But he died despite treatment on Monday night, sources said.

Angered by the death, the victim’s relatives thronged Cumbum GH and blocked the road, demanding arrest of seven persons.

Police personnel pacified the crowd, convincing them that the accused would be arrested soon. The crowd then dispersed.

Based on a complaint lodged by C Jagatheesh Kumar (41), the victim’s brother, the Rayappanpatti police have filed a case against ten suspects under Sections 103 (1) and 49 of the BNS, 2023.