Rising attacks on politicos in south a dangerous trend

Madurai

The latest in the series is the of Gurumoorthy, a DMK functionary of Kariapatti Union. A case was booked against 28 persons belonging to AIADMK and five were arrested.

However, his kin refused to receive his body and staged a protest in front of Government Rajaji Hospital.

Relatives alleged that the main accused Saravanan was not included in the case and demanded that the police book him as the prime accused.

Though the police tried to pacify them, they refused to receive the body and went back to Virudhunagar where they submitted a petition to SP  Vijayendra Bidari demanding the arrest of Saravanan.

Police claimed that Gurumoorthy’s father, Boominathan, and Saravanan had long-standing rivalry in the local body election. In the 2011 local body election, Saravanan had become the Panchayat President.

However, two years ago, Boominathan passed away  and Gurumoorthy began preparing to contest in the upcoming Panchayat election. Owing to this, Saravanan had developed rivalry with Gurumoorthy.

On Wednesday night, Saravanan’s supporters had allegedly launched an assault on Gurumoorthy in the midst of the temple festival at Manthoppu. Following the attack, Gu
rumoorthy had gone to Saravanan’s home, on Thursday morning, along with five other DMK cadre. Upon seeing them, Saravanan’s supporters lunged at them with sickles, during which Gurumoorthy sustained grievous injuries.

Although he was rushed to a private hospital in Madurai, he succumbed to his injuries, the police said.

Assault Diary

JAN 9: Office of Minister for Cooperation, Sellur Raju, at Madurai was attacked with crude petrol bombs.  
MAY 14: Petrol bomb hurled at Councillor’s house at Thoothukudi
MAY 16: Two DMK cadre attacked by AIADMK men at Ottanchattiram in Dindigul district.
MAY 27:  AIADMK functionary and his son were hacked at Madurai. But they survived.