MADURAI: The Dalit Panthers Iyakkam (DPI) state organiser Thirumavalavan has demanded a CBI probe into the murder of DPI state treasurer Pandian of Mudakathan village in Madurai district on Monday, and to draw the attention of the government, he has called for a bandh in Madurai district on June 22. He appealed to his cadres to stage demonstrations in all the district headquarters in the State.

Talking to reporters he said, the DPI cadres had organised a felicitation function and thanks giving to voters at Samayanallur on June 18. Knowing this full well and in a bid to stall the programme, some rowdies had planned to murder Pandian.

Though the cadres were shocked, such acts would be faced in a democratic manner, he thundered at the press conference.

The DPI leader alleged that the murder was not only planned well but also had political and caste ramification. A couple of weeks ago, a group had passed resolutions in Kulamangalam in Madurai district, to ``finish off'' frontline leaders like `Mudakathan' Pandi, `Oorseri' Selvam, Kannan and Kannadasan of the DPI.

If the AIADMK government remained silent and encouraged any particular section of society, Tamil Nadu might have to face another round of clashes similar to the one that rocked the southern districts a couple of years ago, Thirumavalavan warned.

In fact, the urgency shown by the Madurai District Collector in a press note declaring that the murder of Pandian had no caste colour but was only due to previous enmity, itself was wrong and misleading. Similarly, the DPI leader came down heavily on the police and officialdom for suppressing facts and threatening the Dalits.

Thirumavalavan said he would meet the DMK front leaders and impress upon them the need for staging demonstrations. ``I will also meet TMC president G K Moopanar also in this regard,'' he added and sought the cooperation of all traders and association members.

Asked whether his men were involved or took the responsibility for torching a State-owned bus on Tuesday morning in Madurai district, he replied in the negative and claimed to be unaware of the episode. However, he agreed to appeal to his cadres to remain calm and show restraint.

Thirumavalavan said that apart from arresting the accused in the Pandian murder, the State Government should provide job for his widow and give monetary assistance to the family.

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CUDDALORE: Two houses were set afire following a rift in removing a PMK flag mast on Sunday. Two persons were injured in the clash.

Cuddalore District PMK secretary T Velmurugan hoisted the party flag on June 12 near Cuddalore Regulated Market Committee. But the PMK flag mast alongwith pedestal were destroyed the same night. Cuddalore old town police registered a case against DPI members and started investigationMeanwhile, some DPI cadres compelled Ashokkumar of Enikkaran Thottam to withdraw the case, but it was rejected by the latter.

It is learnt that the enraged 17 members of DPI set fire to houses belonging to Ranganathan (Ranganathan's son and Ashokkumar are friends) and Devarajan at 12.30 am on Sunday in which two autorickshaws and articles worth Rs.1 lakh were destroyed. When Selvakumar (35) and Ravi (27) tried to extinguish the fire, they suffered burns and admitted to Government Hospital in Cuddalore.

Cuddalore old town police have registered a case and arrested 13 persons, including Punniyamurthy, Mohan and Selvam reportedly belonging to PMK and are searching for Veerakumar, Sakthivel, Sethuraman and Bhoominathan.

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MADURAI: Nine persons, said to be DPI cadres, allegedly set fire to a State-owned transport corporation bus at Karuvanoor in Oomachikulam police station limits on Tuesday morning, in retaliation to the murder of State DPI Treasurer, `Mudakathan' Pandian on Monday.

Police said that the bus which left Periyar bus stand for Karuvanoor village was about to leave in the return direction, when some miscreants stopped it at around 7.30 am and pelted stones. Sensing danger, two passengers seated in the bus, escaped with minor injuries. Within a few minutes, a gang rushed there and torched the bus.

On information, district fire service personnel and police rushed to the spot. A few irate women who began arguing with the police were chased away.

DIG of Police (Madurai Range) K P Maghendhran said that nine persons identified as DPI cadres were arrested in connection with the torching of the bus and added that he was hopeful of securing the accused involved in the murder of Pandi in the next 24 to 48 hours. One person had already been arrested in connection with this murder.

Normalcy was restored and adequate bandobust arrangements were made in the district, the DIG added.

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