On the night of Tuesday, January 31st, a senior member of a Hindu rights group was murdered in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai by a group of assailants. The accused fled the spot after attacking the deceased victim and are still absconding.
The deceased victim has been identified as G Manikandan. He was the Southern Madurai Deputy Secretary of a local Hindu rights group called Hindu Makkal Katchi.
The 40-year-old owned a jewellery shop in MK Puram of Madurai. Manikandan was attacked near Jaihindpuram-MK Puram junction by unidentified assailants when he was walking near his shop. At around 8:30 pm, the assailants reportedly attacked Manikandan with a sickle and stones. The attackers fled the spot after stabbing the victim multiple times.
Manikandan was rushed to Rajaji Hospital where he was declared brought dead. Jaihindpuram police have registered a case and are investigating the motive behind the murder. The police are also trying to nab the unidentified and absconding assailants.
Notably, a similar case was reported in 2019, when a Hindu activist Ramalingam who was a member of a local group Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) was murdered in Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district on his way back home by PFI goons and his hands were chopped off. Ramalingam died on the way to the hospital due to excessive bleeding.