Tamil Nadu: Vanniyars kill 2 dalit youths in clash near Arakkonam

CHENNAI: Tension gripped Soghanur village in Ranipet district after a group of vanniyar youths stabbed two dalit youths to death using broken liquor bottles in a clash between the two communities late on Wednesday night.
Three others, also dalits, were grievously injured and are undergoing treatment. The Arakkonam Taluk police, under whose purview the village falls, have detained four youths belonging to the vanniyar community and hailing from Perumalrajapet and Salaivedal hamlets in connection with murders.
Ranipet SP Sivakumar told TOI that the deceased youths and the murder suspects knew each other well and that the clash broke out following a sudden provocation. “Around 20 vanniyar youths rounded up the five dalit youths and attacked them with logs, while a couple of them stabbed Arjunan and Suriya using broken liquor bottles,” he said. The SP, DIG of Vellore range N Kamini and a contingent of police are camping in Soghanur to prevent a caste clash.
Arjunan and Suriya died on the way to a hospital, another youth was said to be in a critical condition while the other two injured were stable.
Political leaders have condoned the twin murders. VCK functionaries charged that the crime was politically motivated as the attacked youths had campaigned for VCK candidate J Gowthama Sannah in Arakkonam (reserved) constituency. VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan has announced a state-wide protest on Saturday. “... Caste fanatics committed these murders out of fear of losing the election. VCK demands arrest of PMK caste fanatics & sand mafia gangs. We’ll hold demos on Apr10 at all Dt headquarters,” he tweeted.
The CPM and TVK were among other parties to condemn the murders and demand action.