The clash broke out at Munnirpallam following a murderous attack on a 17-year-old youth identified as Balamurugesan alias Balamukesh from a Dalit hamlet of Mullai Nagar. An unidentified armed gang attacked the youth while he was returning home after taking bath in a nearby canal. The victim suffered a cut on his shoulder and was admitted to Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital, sources said. 

Angered by the attack, locals from Mullai Nagar blocked the Tirunelveli-Ambasamudram Road condemning the attack and demanded immediate arrest of the accused. Meanwhile, an irate group vandalised a few houses at Munnirpallam and damaged 17 vehicles, including three cars, 11 bikes and three auto-rickshaws, besides setting fire to haystacks. After this, the group also reportedly attacked two men at a refugee camp in Subramaniapuram with a machete and this infuriated other inmates, who lodged a protest demanding criminal action against the attackers. 

Deputy Inspector General of Police Praveen Kumar Abinapu, Tirunelveli Range, Superintendent of Police N Manivannan and Munnirpallam Inspector of Police Suresh rushed to the spot and pacified all the protesting groups. 

On the Munnirpallam incident, the SP after initial inquiries said that the youth was targeted in a revenge attack. However, the same accused, who were reportedly in an inebriated condition, had attacked Perumal (52) and Chinnadurai at the refugee camp. Both the suspects were picked up and interrogations were on, the SP said. Armed police force has been deployed at the trouble spot to prevent escalation of the situation. 

Munnirpallam police have filed a case and are investigating.