Arun Prakash (22), who had led a Vinayagar Chathurthi procession in Ramanathapuram was stabbed to death by unidentified persons on Monday.
Arun Prakash is the son of Saminathan residing at Kallar Street in Vasanth Nagar near Ramanathapuram. He along with his friend Yogeshwaran (23), son of Suresh, belonging to the same area were standing and talking outside an ATM on Monday afternoon.
At that time, a gang of 9 persons had come in 3 motorbikes and surrounded them. They stabbed both Arun and Yogeshwaran with a knife, injuring them seriously and fled.
Both of them were later admitted to the Ramanathapuram Government Hospital. Arun Prakash succumbed to his injuries. Yogeshwaran who has been admitted to a private hospital remains critical.
The Ramanathapuram police have registered a case and are investigating the cause of the incident. The first phase of the police investigation has revealed that those involved in the murder were from Ramanathapuram.
Following this, the police have arrested 3 suspects and are investigating the case. Police are also trying to track down the criminals through the CCTV camera kept in the area.
It is being said that Arun Prakash was attacked for leading the Vinayagar Chathurthi procession in his street and many allege that radical Muslim fundamentalist organizations Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and/or Popular Front of India (PFI) could be behind the gruesome murder.
The BJP Tamil Nadu has condemned the incident and has called the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to take strict action against the extremist elements.
இராநாதபுரம் கள்ளர் தெருவில் விநாயகர் சதுர்த்தி கொண்டாடிய காரணத்திற்காக அருண்குமார் பயங்கரவாதிகளால் கொல்லப்பட்டார் என்ற செய்தி வருத்தம் அளிக்கிறது.@CMOTamilNadu எந்த பாரபட்சமும் இன்றி இந்த பயங்கரவாதிகள் மீது நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும்.
– மாநில தலைவர் @Murugan_TNBJP#BANPFI_SDPI pic.twitter.com/MAZ6uGYKWj
— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) September 1, 2020
In February 2019, a Pattali Makkal Katchi functionary in Thirubhuvanam near Kumbakonam was murdered by Islamists belonging to PFI for resisting conversion attempts in a Dalit colony by a bunch of Muslims. The chargesheet filed by the NIA named 18 PFI and SDPI activists.