Thoothkudi: Two supporters of the late Venkatesh Panaiyar, M. Arumugasamy, 35, of Idaiyarthavalai in Tirunelveli district and A Kannan, 32 of Palayakayalin in Thoothukudi district, were hacked to death on Tuesday at Palayakayalin allegedly by associates of Pasupathy Pandyan.
The two were the latest victims of the 23-year-old enmity between the groups headed by Venkatesh Pannaiyar and Pasupathy Pandian. The killers severed the head of Arumugasamy and placed it under the photo of Pasupathy Pandyan at a bus stop at Theivaseyalpuram, a nearby village.
The revenge killing following a dispute over a salt pan near Tiruchendur, between Venkatesa Pannaiyar and Pasupathy Pandian, in the early nineties, had so far claimed 11 lives.
The first murder that sowed the seeds of wrath was committed by late Pasupathy Pandian, on January 24, 1993. The victim was Sivasubramanyam, paternal uncle of Venkatesa Pannaiyar, a notorious gangster, killed in a police encounter in Chennai in 2003. The salt pan issue was over a period of time twisted by supporters and had become a caste rivalry.
To avenge the killing of Sivasubramaniyam, Venkatesa Pannaiyar, along with his cousin, Subash Pannaiyar, who now heads the All India Nadar protection movement attempted on the life of Pasupathy Pandian on April 21, 1993. In the attack Pasupathy Pandian escaped but his close aide , Pon Esakki, was killed. To avenge his murder Pasupathy Pandian group murdered Venkatesa Pannaiyar’s grandfather, Asuvathy Pannaiyar within three months of the murder of Pon Esakki on July 8, 1993.
After the death of Venkatesa Pannaiyar in police encounter, his supporters led by Subash Pannaiyar continued the enmity that claimed the lives of Pasupathy Pandian’s wife, Jesintha Pandian in April 2006 and Pasupathy Pandian himself on January 10, 2012.
After the death of Pasupathy Pandian, who headed a dalit organisation, the personal enmity turned communal to target the lives of Stephen of Rajavallipuram, Tirunelveli, Viji, Mani Nadar and P. V. T. Anand.
The Thoothukudi district police superintendent, Aswin Kotnis along with his subordinates rushed to the spot and beefed up security in the region. The police seized live country bombs from the spot. Security at Pasupathy Pandian’s native village, Alangarathattu near Thoothukudi has been intensified to avoid any caste clash.
