CPI(M) members staging a protest on Saturday seeking action against the police in connection with the case.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Two men were killed and another sustained injuries in a clash at Muttam village on Friday. Three persons have been arrested in connection with the double murder.

According to the police, M. Muventhan, 24, of North Street, Muttam, under the Perambur police station limits, had a dispute with R. Dinesh, 28. On Thursday evening, an argument broke out between the two. When it turned into a fight, residents of the area intervened and stopped it.

However, around 8.30 p.m. the next day, when Dinesh was talking to his friends — K. Harish, 25, and K. Ajay, 19, from Muttam; and B. Sakthi, 20, from Srinivasapuram — three persons attacked them with knives. While Harish sustained severe injuries to his abdomen, Sakthi was stabbed in the back. Ajay suffered injuries to his hand. They were rushed to the Mayiladuthurai Government Hospital, but Harish and Sakthi succumbed to injuries on the way.

Besides Muventhan, the other accused are M. Thangathurai, 28, and R. Rajkumar, 34. Barring Dinesh, the other victims had no enmity with the accused. The Perambur police have registered a case, arrested the accused, and remanded them in judicial custody.

Meanwhile, the district police have dismissed allegations that the murders were linked to illicit liquor sale. They have clarified that the clash followed a verbal quarrel among men from the same locality. Further investigation is under way. However, the families of victims and local residents said the students were murdered for opposing illicit liquor sale in the area and refused to accept their bodies.

CPI(M) members staged a protest near the Mayiladuthurai bus stand, demanding that the Perambur police inspector be arrested and departmental action be initiated against her. Party leaders accused her of shielding illicit liquor traders.

CPI(M) district secretary P. Srinivasan told The Hindu that negligence on the part of the police emboldened bootleggers.

In a statement, CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam rejected the police’s claims that the crime stemmed from personal enmity. He asserted that the murders were linked to illicit liquor trade, and accused the police of shielding the culprits. He demanded that the culprits be arrested immediately and legal action be taken against police officials. He also sought financial compensation for the victims’ families and a State-wide crack-down on the sale of illicit liquor.

G. Stalin, Superintendent of Police, Mayiladuthurai, told The Hindu that the incident appeared to have resulted from personal enmity between the two groups.

BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai cited the sale of illicit liquor behind the murders. “Illicit liquor is flowing like a river in Tamil Nadu. The State is currently going through a situation worse than the dark period of the DMK’s rule between 2006 and 2011..,” he posted on social media.

Mr. Vasan, in a statement, said the murders were a reflection of the deteriorating law and order in the State.

PMK founder S. Ramadoss alleged that the police were trying to hide the truth, and sought a compensation for the affected families.

A.K. Kareem, State secretary, SDPI, said the lax attitude of police was unacceptable and demanded stringent action against the accused.