Kin cry foul over death of anti-sand mining activist

P Mohan, a former vice president of Ilamanur panchayat, was killed and four others, who accompanied him, suffered injuries in an assault after they opposed the lifting of sand at Puzhuthikulam on Sunday evening.

Aggrieved over Mohan’s death, his relatives gathered in front of the collectorate located on the Ramanathapuram-Madurai highway around 8 am on Monday and blocked vehicular traffic plying on it. They demanded that the accused be detained under the Goondas Act, sought compensation and government job for the victim’s kin. The protesters said they would refuse to accept Mohan’s body unless their demands were fulfilled.

Amid this, two of Mohan’s relatives S Muthupandi (23) and Manikandan (21) attempted suicide by self-immolation after dousing kerosene on themselves. However, the police personnel, who were deployed on the spot as a precautionary measure, and a few others acted swiftly and foiled their bid. Later, collector K Veera Raghava Rao met the protesters and assured them of strict action against the accused. The district administration would consider extending the victim’s kin financial support, he said. The collector also met the injured victims, whose condition are said to be stable, at the Ramanathapuram Government Hospital.

Following Rao’s assurance, the protesters dispersed from the spot and agreed to receive Mohan’s body. Vehicular traffic was disrupted on the stretch for nearly five hours due to the agitation, sources said.

When contacted, district Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena said three special teams have been formed to nab the accused. Anandaraj, one of the accused persons, had surrendered before a court in Maduranthagam, Kancheepuram district.

The Superintendent of P said the victim along with his friends was said to have objected mining of ‘savadu’ sand at Puzhuthikulam. “They picked up quarrel with those lifting the sand, which eventually led to their assault. The sand mining contract had expired on Saturday.”

The Kenikarai police have filed a murder case against the accused. Besides, the accused were also booked on charges under Sections 147,148 and 324 of the IPC.