Murder of activist: Pudukkottai cops arrest four including stone quarry owner, son
Federation of environmental activists demanded a probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the victim
(L-R) Muruganandam, Dinesh, Kasinathan and Rasu, who were arrested by Tirumayam police
TIRUCHY: Pudukkottai police on Monday arrested four persons including a stone quarry owner on charges of murdering the environmental activist by hitting his two-wheeler with a lorry on Friday.
Federation of environmental activists demanded a probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the victim.
On Friday (January 17), K Jagaber Ali (58), an environmental activist from Venkalur near Tirumayam in Pudukkottai, was returning from the mosque on Friday afternoon when this fatal incident happened. Tirumayam police had registered a case of accidental death.
However, on Saturday, Jagaber Ali’s wife Mariyam complained to the Tirumayam police suspecting the cause of death. She said that he was opposing the mining activities in and around Tirumayam by approaching the court as well as complaining to the officials and this had earned enmity from the owners of mines particularly a granite quarry functioning at Thulaiyanur near Valayanvayal in Tirumayam. She also suspected four persons who might have been behind the incident.
The Tirumayam police who conducted an elaborate investigation till Sunday, altered the case of suspicious death into murder, registered a case against five persons and arrested four of them who were identified as S Muruganandam (56), the lorry owner from Thirumayam, R Kasinathan (45), the lorry driver from Ramanathapuram, R Rasu (54), the owner of RR Crusher from Pappathi Urani and his son Dinesh (24). They were produced before the Tirumayam Sessions Court on Monday and the judge Gopalakannan ordered judicial custody for 15 days. They were later lodged in the Pudukkottai prison.
The police said, Jagaber Ali was continuously complaining about the quarries functioning in and around Tirumayam and this had upset the RR Crusher owner Rasu and his son Dinesh who instigated the lorry owner Muruganandam to kill the activist.
After ensuring Jagaber Ali’s death, Muruganandam’s driver Kasinathan took him to some other place to hide his two-wheeler.
The police are searching for the other accused Ramaiyya, brother and partner of RR Crusher owner Rasu.
Meanwhile, the environmental activists in Pudukkottai demanded a fair investigation by forming a SIT.
They also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family and government employment for one of the family members. They also appealed for safety to the environmentalists and initiated action against the lethargic officials.