Tension in Namakkal as arecanuts bear brunt

COIMBATORE: Tension prevailed in Jedarpalayam in Namakkal after unidentified persons chopped down over 1,600 arecanut plants on Saturday night.

This incident is the latest among the chain of violence unleashed by miscreants in retaliation for the murder of a 27-year-old woman on March 11. Earlier, in an arson attack on May 13, a 19-year-old migrant worker at a jaggery unit succumbed to burns, while three others survived after treatment.

In the next incident, a plantain farm owned by the relative of the ill-fated jaggery unit, where the migrant workers were set on fire, was destroyed completely.

To prevent further violence, the entire village was brought under a thick security blanket, and around 500 cops continued to be deployed to carry out round-the-clock patrolling.

Despite heavy police presence, the miscreants axed down the arecanut plants on three acres of a farm owned by Soundarajan (55) Chinnamarudur area on Saturday night.

This incident came to light on Sunday morning when a neighbouring farm owner noticed the fallen trees and informed Soundarajan. The 1,600 trees, which were cut down were worth around Rs 15 lakh.

A police team led by Superintendent of Police S Rajesh Kannan visited the farm and held inquiries. Several other nearby farmers also claimed that pipelines in their farms were damaged by the miscreants.

The case, which was earlier investigated by local police, was transferred to CB-CID. Meanwhile, police cordoned off the farm, where the arecanut plants were damaged, and disallowed anyone from going into it.

Though police have arrested a minor boy in connection with the murder, the family members of the victim and other villagers suspect the hand of migrants in the crime and were demanding the arrest of ‘real culprits’.

Hence, they were involved in continuous attacks targeting migrant workers and their employers.

Superintendent of Police S Rajesh Kannan said a probe is underway to ascertain the motive behind the incident.

“The reason for the attack is yet to be known. We suspect this incident to be not linked to the murder of the woman as the ravaged farm is located almost seven kilometres away from that village. However, a probe is underway,” he said.