Chennai: A 29-year-old soldier was beaten to death by a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) councillor A Chinnasamy and his aides allegedly after a dispute over washing clothes near a water tank in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district, police said on Wednesday, adding that nine people, including the councillor, have been arrested in the case.
According to the police, Lance Naik M Prabhu and his brother Prabhakaran allegedly had a heated exchange with DMK councillor A Chinnasamy over Prabhakaran’s wife washing clothes near a tank in the Pochampalli area early on February 8. The two groups again entered into an argument later that night, following which Chinnasamy and eight others severely thrashed Prabhu and his brother. Prabhakaran was discharged from the hospital on February 10, while Prabhu succumbed to his head injuries late on Wednesday, an official said.
“It was not a pre-planned attack. They had an argument in the morning and another fight in the evening, which escalated and they attacked the two with wooden logs, iron rods, whatever was available at the spot,” deputy superintendent of police K M Manoharan said.
Six of the accused were arrested on February 9, but Chinnasamy and two others were absconding and were nabbed on Wednesday evening, he added.
Others arrested have been identified as Chinnasamy’s son Guru Sathyamurthy, who works with the Tamil Nadu Armed Police, and his aides Manikandan, Vediappan and Madhaiyan, Rajapandi and Gunanidhi. The accused have been booked under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
Police said Prabhu and his brother are stationed in Jammu and Kashmir, and were visiting home on leave.
BJP state chief K Annamalai expressed shock over the incident.
“Soldiers are not safe in their hometown due to DMK anarchy. The DMK and its allied parties have turned to the extent of threatening their families, attacking and even killing soldiers who are protecting the country at the border, risking their lives,” he tweeted.
“Tamil Nadu’s chief minister is keeping the police in hands… I request on behalf of the BJP Tamil Nadu that strict action be taken against the killers immediately and that such anti-social acts should be prevented from happening,” he added.