A retired Army veteran from Nagaland was brutally assaulted by a group of autorickshaw drivers near Dhanushkodi in Rameswaram on 31 December 2025, following a traffic-related dispute amid heavy tourist congestion.
Police identified the victim as Joginder Pal Singh, who was on a pilgrimage to the Kothandaramaswamy Temple along with 14 family members. According to police sources, due to severe traffic congestion on the national highway leading to Dhanushkodi, the family’s van dropped them midway, forcing them to proceed on foot towards the temple.
During this walk, an autorickshaw attempting to manoeuvre through the crowded stretch allegedly brushed against Singh’s wife. When Singh cautioned the driver to drive carefully, the situation escalated into a heated argument. The driver, identified as Chandran, a resident of Netaji Nagar, allegedly responded with abusive language and pushed Singh’s wife.
As Singh intervened to protect her, a group of local autorickshaw drivers reportedly gathered at the spot, turning the verbal altercation into a violent clash. Police said Chandran allegedly took an iron rod from his vehicle and struck Singh on the head, while other drivers assaulted additional members of the family. The incident caused panic among pilgrims and tourists in the area.
Singh sustained serious injuries and was initially taken to the Rameswaram Government Hospital for emergency treatment. He was later referred to the Ramanathapuram Government Hospital for further medical care. Police sources also indicated that an autorickshaw driver involved in the clash sustained injuries and was admitted for treatment.
Based on a complaint filed by Singh, the Dhanushkodi police arrested Chandran and registered cases against two other autorickshaw drivers, Murugan and Servaran, both residents of MRT Nagar in Rameswaram. Investigators said further details of the case and the sections invoked have not yet been disclosed, as the inquiry is ongoing.
— Ramanathapuram District Police (@RmdDistPolice) January 2, 2026
Police confirmed that the victim is a retired Army officer currently associated with Nagaland and said the incident is being investigated to ascertain the sequence of events and individual roles in the assault.
Source: Times of India
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