Targeted killing of Hindu leaders in Tamilnadu

Targeted killing of Hindu leaders in Tamilnadu involve the murder of four Hindu leaders in Tamilnadu by three criminals suspected to be involved in terror activities. The four Hindu leaders murdered were Auditor V. Ramesh, Vellaiyappan, Arvinth Reddy and Murugan.

It was claimed as a targeted killing because the police claimed that the unknown terror module(the three criminals) had been targeting Hindu rightwing leaders. The trio were also alleged to be involved in bombing near BJP office in Bangalore on 17 April 2013. The trio were also involved in the murder of jewellery staff in Vellore to fund Jihad. The suspected terror module was also planning to target Modi's rally in Chennai.

Arvinth Reddy

On October 23, 2012, Doctor Arvinth Reddy, the then state medical wing secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party was killed in front of his clinic in Kosapet area of Vellore, Tamilnadu. According to the police, then 38-year old Arvinth Reddy was stabbed at the back of his neck using knife by a three member gang and he died on the spot. Six accused were nabbed on November 21 and 22, 2013 and one of them, Vasur Raja, accepted their role in the murder of doctor. However, on December 2013, a Special Investigation Division of the CBCID pointed their suspicion towards Fakruddin and his associates Panna Ismail and Bilal Malik. Fakruddin confessed that he and his two associates were involved in the murder of Arvinth Reddy.

Murugan

On March 19, 2013, Murugan.K aged 45, fomer BJP municipal councillor, was hacked to death by a three-member gang in Paramakudi main bazaar while he was returning home for lunch The gang also hurled pipe bombs at the murdered person and two live pipe bombs were recovered from the scene and defused. This murder happened in front of shopkeepers and public, who fled the spot in panic. Initially, four suspects were arrested, but later upon the confession of Fakruddin, they were released after four months of imprisonment.

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Violence against Hindus in independent India
Issues
Religious persecution Freedom of religion Religious violence
Targeted attacks
Hindu leaders in Tamilnadu
Incidents
1998 Chamba massacre 1998 Wandhama massacre 1998 Chapnari massacre 1998 Prankote massacre 2000 Amarnath pilgrimage massacre 2000 Murder of Gurudev Shanti Kali 2001 Amarnath pilgrimage massacre 2001 Kishtwar massacre 2002 Qasim Nagar massacre 2002 Godhra train massacre 2002 Akshardham Temple attack 2002 Amarnath attack 2002 Raghunath temple attacks 2003 Nadimarg massacre 2003 Marad massacre 2006 Doda massacre 2006 Varanasi bombings 2015 Nadia riots 2017 Amarnath Yatra attack

Vellaiyappan

On July 1, 2013, Vellaiyappan, aged 45, Tamilnadu state secretary of Hindu Munnani was in his two-wheeler in Vellore going to Ramakrishna Mutt when he was attacked on his head from behind. He was then hacked in his neck and the assailants escaped. Volunteers belonging to Hindu Munnani then agitated demanding action against assailants. It was revealed during the interrogation of Fakruddin that he had met Vellaiyappan a day before the murder and had a conversation posing as a Hindu.

Auditor Ramesh

On July 19, 2013, "Auditor" V.Ramesh aged 54, was hacked to death inside the compound of his house by an unknown gang in Salem. Jayalalitha, then Chief Minister of Tamilnadu constituted a Special Investigation Division to probe the murder of "Auditor" Ramesh.

Arrests

Main article: Operation Puttur

One of the trio, Fakrudeen was nabbed in Chennai on October 4, 2013 and the other two,Panna Ismail and Bilal Malik were arrested after an Operation by OCTOPUS in Puttur on October 5, 2013. Around 5:30 AM IST on October 5, 2013, OCTOPUS chief was alerted of their presence and a team of 35 men moved to the spot. The police from Tamilnadu helped in negotiation with the hidden suspects. The terror suspects were using woman and three children as shield. After a eleven hour siege, the two terror suspects surrendered to the police.

Investigation

Investigations revealed that the trio took orders from a Abu Backer Siddiqui, who was claimed to be trained in terror warfare in Afghanistan in 1990s and suspected to be belonging to Al Ummah. It was also revealed that Siddiqui identified the right-wing leaders to be targeted along with providing their personal details. According to Bangalore police, the trio were motivated by Siddiqui to do the killings in the name of jihad.

Aftermath

The Tamil Nadu government provided security to 80 leaders following these targeted killings.

References

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