The Hindu : 4 DMK men held, Azhagiri role confirmed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

4 DMK men held, Azhagiri role confirmed

By S. Vijay Kumar

The four DMK functionaries (from left), Essar Gopi, Karate Siva, P.M. Mannan and Mubaraq Manthiri, at the Tallakulam Police Station in Madurai on Tuesday.

MADURAI MAY 27. Nailing M.K. Azhagiri as the main "conspirator" in the murder of the former Highways Minister, `Pasumpon' T. Kiruttinan here on May 20, the city police today arrested four DMK functionaries on charges of plotting and executing the gruesome killing.

While Mr. Azhagiri (son of the former Chief Minister and DMK president, M. Karunanidhi) was arrested within 24 hours of the murder, the former Aavin (Madurai and Theni units) chairman, P.M. Mannan (37); the 59th area unit secretary, Essar Gobi (33); the Madurai city students' wing organiser, I. Mubaraq Manthiri, and the district party volunteers' wing organiser, V. Sivakumar alias `Karate' Siva (34), were taken into custody.

The special team investigating the case concluded that intra-party conflicts led to the murder of the senior DMK functionary. During the course of investigation, family members of Kiruttinan revealed that the murder took place because of a political rivalry and "Azhagiri was behind the entire episode."

In a statement to the media, the police elaborated on certain incidents, which widened the differences between the Stalin-Azhagiri factions.

The recent organisational polls further aggravated factionalism, as Kiruttinan influenced the party high command to conduct elections, though Mr. Azhagiri had nominated his candidates to posts.

On May 18, Mr. Azhagiri planned to "eliminate" Kiruttinan, as the latter was putting his "political future at stake".

A conspiracy was hatched at the former's residence the same evening to "do away" with Kiruttinan during his regular morning walk in K.K Nagar.

While Gobi was entrusted with the task of executing the murder, Mannan was directed to render all assistance to him. On May 19, Mannan, Gobi, Mubaraq Manthiri and Sivakumar met in a hotel on the Town Hall Road to finalise the plot. Ibrahim Sait (who surrendered in a Chennai court today) and Mubaraq Manthiri were fixed as assailants and all the accused, except Azhagiri, studied the topography of K.K.Nagar hours before the murder.

Armed with the weapons provided by Gobi, the assailants stabbed Kiruttinan to death at about 6 a.m. After arriving at the scene of crime and before the incident, the duo spoke to Gobi and Mannan.

All the four accused, who were picked up for enquiry on May 23, came out with "voluntary confessions" today on "hatching the conspiracy".

The weapon and vehicles used for committing the offence were seized. The special team also took into possession some incriminating documents, the statement added.

The accused were not remanded to judicial custody till late tonight.

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