Tamil Nadu: Caste outfit leader, kin held for assault

Tiruchy: The president of Tamil Nadu Mutharaiyar Munnetra Sangam, a caste outfit, was arrested along with his sons and sons-in-law on Thursday for allegedly assaulting a man belonging to a rival outift following a rift. Police said on March 12, the members of the Mutharaiyar Sangam, under the instructions of their president R Viswanathan (65), barged into the house of the founder president of Veera Mutharaiyar, K Selvakumar (40), and ransacked his house. They also assaulted him and threatened him with dire consequences.

It is said that Viswanathan’s henchmen warned Selvakumar to dissolve the outfit, which was akin to their Sangam. Subsequently, Selvakumar lodged a complaint with E-Pudhur Police and a case was registered. There was a prolonged rivalry between the members of both the outfits and they indulged in frequent clashes. As both outfits belonged to the same community, they were very particular on celebrating their caste festivals.

It is said that Veera Mutharaiyar Sangam members had been gaining popularity by organising a series of celebrations for the Mutharaiyars, which apparently did not go down well the Tamil Nadu Mutharaiyar Munnetra Sangam. Based on the complaint, police arrested Viswanathan, his sons Ramprabhu (32) and Balamurugan (28), his sons-in-law R Ravi Sankar (38) and M Dharmaraj (37), early on Thursday.

The president of Tamil Nadu Mutharaiyar Munnetra Sangam was arrested along with his sons and sons-in-law.

Following interrogation, they were produced before the Judicial Magistrate Court II and Judge Rajendran remanded all the five in judicial custody till August 9. They were then lodged in the central prison. A posse of policemen was deputed at the Court and across the city.

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