AIADMK ex-ministers Velumani, ‘Kadambur’ Raju and cadre booked for assaulting pastor in Thoothukudi

MADURAI: Former AIADMK ministers SP Velumani and Kadambur C Raju and 13 others from the party were booked by Muthaiyapuram police in Thoothukudi district and are being charged with assaulting a church pastor on Tuesday.

A pastor of Madathuvilai CSI church, N Jagan, allegedly came under attack near Uppathu Odai around 10.30 am in a ‘road rash’ incident. The pastor allegedly came under attack when he was travelling in a car towards Thoothukudi from Arumuganeri.

The injured pastor, who is admitted to Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital, said the AIADMK cadre, led by those two former ministers, thrashed him for not making a way for their vehicle on Tiruchendur road. The AIADMK ministers along with the party cadre were returning from Tiruchendur to conduct party workers' meetings at Thoothukudi and Kovilpatti.

Drivers of former ministers’ vehicles, which led from the front, were said to have blared horns for the car to give way. The pastor said three cars were going in front of his vehicle while four others followed him making it tough to give way. The former ministers stopped their vehicles and came out, abused and thrashed him, claims the pastor. “Kadambur Raju, after a heated argument, asked the party cadre to finish me off,” claims the complainant.

The Muthaiyapuram police filed a case against 15 persons including two former ministers.