BJP Youth wing functionary Ranganathan was hacked to death in Kelamangalam in Krishnagiri district on Tuesday night (15th September). His relatives and BJP leaders staged a road roko demanding arrest of the murderers.
Ranganathan (35), a Dalit, joined BJP after leaving AIADMK. He was appointed as the BJP youth wing president of Kundumaaranappalli village. Ranganathan-Geetha couple has two sons – Rihikesh (3) and Dhananjayan (1). To celebrate his second son’s birthday, Ranganathan went out to buy cake on Tuesday night.
While celebrating the birthday with his family members, an unidentified gang entered his house and picked up quarrel with him. The gang started assaulting him brutally. Rangananthan ran towards the street to escape from the attackers. But the gang chased him and rained him with blows with machete clubs and deadly weapons. He collapsed in a pool of blood. The gang after finishing their job left the place. Ranganathan’s relatives took him to Kelamangalam Government Hospital for treatment where the doctors pronounced him ‘brought dead’. Police seized the body and sent it to Hosur Government Hospital for autopsy.
His enraged relatives and villagers staged a road roko Kundumaaranappalli main road demanding arrest of the murderers immediately. They refused to take the body for funeral. Shops downed shutters expressing solidarity with Ranganathan’s family. BJP state vice president Narendran, district president Nagaraj and other BJP cadres took part in the agitation.
District Joint Superintendent Sakthivel, Thenkani kottai DSP Sangeetha, Hosur DSP Sankar, Inspector Kamalesh who rushed to the spot tried to disperse the crowd. After a marathon talk, they assured that the culprits would be arrested. After getting the assurance, they withdrew their agitation. Due to the protest traffic on the stretch was affected for some time. Kelamangalam Police are investigating the case and they suspect it could be due to previous enmity. So far 9 persons have been arrested in this connection.
The murder of Ranganathan has created tense moments in Thenkani Kottai, Kelamangalam, Thali Anjetti areas. SP Pandi Kangadhar came to Kelamangalam to study the situation and oversee the investigation. He told media persons that special teams were formed to nab the culprits and within four hours they would be brought to book. He appealed to the people to maintain calm. Additional enforcements have been rushed to Kundumaaran Palli in view of the prevailing tension.
