A Dalit BJP youth wing functionary identified as Ranganathan was hacked to death in Kelamangalam in Krishnagiri district on Tuesday night (September 15), the Organiser reported.
BJP workers and family members of the murdered Dalit leader staged a road roko demanding the arrest of the murderers.
Ranganathan (35) was once an AIADMK functionary but later joined the BJP and became the youth wing president of Kundumaaranappalli village.
Ranganathan and his wife Geetha have two sons – Rihikesh (3) and Dhananjayan (1).
The BJP youth leader was leaving his house to buy a cake to celebrate his second son’s birthday on Tuesday night when he was brutally attacked by an unidentified gang who had entered his house and picked up a quarrel with him.
The assailants attacked Ranganathan even as he ran towards the street to escape from them. However, the killers chased and surrounded him blowing him with machete clubs and deadly weapons. He died succumbing to the injuries.
Ranganathan’s relatives took him to Kelamangalam Government Hospital where the doctors pronounced him ‘brought dead’ and at present, the body has been sent to Hosur Government Hospital for autopsy.
The relatives of the assassinated Dalit leader of the BJP has enraged his relatives and villagers who staged a road roko Kundumaaranappalli main road demanding the arrest of the murderers immediately.
Shops in the area were closed to express solidarity with Ranganathan’s family and so far 9 persons have been arrested in this connection.