Policeman attacks villager with cleaver in Cheyyur

Gopu (35), a construction labourer of North Cheyyur, climbed a palm tree in the locality to cut a few leaves for his house’s roofing. When he got down, a policeman, Vinayagamoorthy, accused him of tapping toddy. It led to an argument between the two, and in a fit of rage, Vinayagamoorthy allegedly snatched the cleaver from Gopu and hacked him on the head. With bleeding injury, he was rushed to a nearby Government Hospital. 

As the information spread in the village, the locals gathered and staged a protest against Vinayagamoorthy. However, police sources claimed that Gopu attempted flee from the spot and suffered injuries when he fell on the cleaver. 

But the villagers refused to buy police’s story and continued to protest. Following this, Madhuranthakam DSP intervened and pacified the villagers. He promised the villagers that action would be initiated against Vinayagamoorthy if the charges were proved during the investigation. 

The villagers claimed that they caught a Neera thief nearly two weeks ago. But Vinayagamoorthy and a few other police personnel visited the spot in plain clothes and argued in favour of the thief. Angered by this, a few villagers reportedly attacked them without realising that they were policemen. “Since then, Vinayagamoorthy is holding a grudge against us and targeting us,” alleged the villagers.