Protest in Tamil Nadu and Kerala against murder of Hindu Munnani leader.

Sri S. Vellaiyappan

Protest against Tamil Nadu Hindu Munnani leader’s gruesome murder in Vellore.

Vellore | Hindu Existence News Bureau | 2 July 2013:: Hindu organizations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu observed Tuesday as ‘protest day’, following the brutal murder of S Vellaiyappan (45), state secretary of Tamil Nadu Hindu Munnani. Hindu Aikya Vedi also staged a demonstration in the evening protesting against the gruesome murder in various places in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Sri S. Vellaiyappan, a prominent Hindutva activist and the Tamil Nadu State Secretary of the Hindu Munnani, was murdered near the Muthu Mandapam on the banks of the Palar River behind the New Bus Stand here on Monday evening in full public view. The assailants guarded their faces with scarfs as reported.

Police said the assailants, who were also on motorbikes, hit Vellaippan from behind and attacked him when he fell down on the road and fled the scene. Eyewitnesses said Vellaiappan sustained more than 15 injuries all over his body.

He was proceeding in his two-wheeler to the Ramakrishna Mutt when some unidentified persons attacked him on his head from behind. Sri Vellaiyappan abandoned the vehicle and ran towards the dry Palar River. The attackers chased him, hacked in his neck and beat him on his head repeatedly till he fell dead. They immediately escaped. On hearing of the incident, Hindu Munnani volunteers rushed to the spot and blocked the New Katpadi Bridge demanding action against the assailants.

When the body of Sri Vellaiyappan was being taken in an ambulance to the Government Vellore Medical College Hospital for post-mortem, the agitators blocked the ambulance and pelted it with stones. They also hurled stones at several buses on the service lane of the Chennai-Bangalore National Highway (NH – 4). A strong posse of policemen has been posted at the spot. After the body was taken to the hospital, the volunteers withdrew their agitation.

Vellaiyappan, a native of Thenkasi has been associated with the Hindu Munnani for over 20 years. An active pracharak, hailed from RSS, Vellaiyappan was always seen in the fore front in exposing and dealing with the social menace of love jihad and Govt’s conspiracy of encroachment of various Hindu Temples/Mutts/Trusts etc. Vellaiyappan was undaunted, even though he continually faced death threats while spearheading campaigns against love jihad.

Forty-five-year-old Sri Vellaiyappan, a bachelor, was the organiser of Hindu Munnani activities in Vellore district for the last 20 years. Only on Wednesday, he participated in an agitation by the Munnani at the entrance to the Fort in Vellore against the takeover of Jalakanteswarar Temple by the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department. Vijay Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Vellore district, said several teams had been formed to nab the culprits. “The motive for the murder is not yet known and we are engaged in gathering the clues and evidence”, he told The Hindu Existence Reporter.

Condemning the murder, Hindu Munnani founder and state organiser Rama Gopalan said there were

Police pickets deployed on the service lane of the Chennai-Bangalore NH – 4  near the new bus stand in Vellore following an agitation sparked by the murder of Hindu leader.  Photo: C. Venkatachalapathy, The Hindu.

earlier instances of functionaries of the BJP and Hindu Munani being murdered in the region. In October 2012, V Aravindh Reddy, BJP’s state medical wing secretary, was murdered. Rama Gopalan said police should take stern action against the culprits. They should be arrested immediately, he said.

As news of Vellaiappan’s murder spread, angry Hindu Munnani activists damaged two TNSTC buses which came out of the Vellore bus terminus. No one was injured in the incident. Traffic was held up for about an hour.

The place witnessed tense scenes following Vellaiyappan’s murder. Police personnel have been deployed in the area to prevent any further outbreak of violence. With police yet to make a breakthrough in the case, police teams have fanned out to track the accused.

North zone inspector general of police S Kannappan said, “We don’t know the motive for the murder yet. We got some CCTV footage from nearby shops and from traffic signals, which will help us identify the accused.”

RSS Condemns

RSS State President R V Marimuthu has strongly condemned the brutal murder of the Hindu activist and pointed out that earlier BJP worker Arvind Reddy, Pugazendhi, Kaalaiyar Koil Padai ventraan Ambalam were also murdered in the same way. Hindu Munnani activist Anand of Mettupalayam, M R Gandhi (BJP) of Nagercoil, and Hari of Koonoor and many others had been attacked and injured seriously. The law and order in the State of Tamilnadu is questionable. He appeals to the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu to strongly take action against the murderers and render justice to the Hindus.

Hindu Existence Forum vehemently condemns the heinous murder of Sri S. Vellaiyappan by anti Hindu perpetrators.

Courtesy: The Hindu | Agencies.