Date:22/05/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/05/22/stories/2003052205200400.htm

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Police closing in on Kiruttinan assailants

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI MAY 21. Even as a section of DMK party cadres is perplexed over the arrest of M. K. Azhagiri, accused of conspiring the murder of the former Minister, T. Kiruttinan, the police are said to be zeroing in on the prime accused.

Following clues picked from the spot and some eyewitnesses, the police are closing in on the motorcycle-borne assailants who stabbed Kiruttinan early on Tuesday. ``The special teams are working in different angles and by correlating the information flowing in, we are confident that the gangsters will be cornered soon,'' an investigating official said.

Since all the exit points in the city were sealed soon after the murder, the police believe that the culprits would have abandoned or dismantled the motorcycle. Based on the description given by eyewitnesses, the list of those released from various jails recently is being collected.

More than a dozen party cadres have been picked up for enquiry. Around eight supporters of Mr. Azhagiri were taken into preventive custody and lodged in the prison.

At Srivilliputtur in Virudhunagar district, the former MLA, R. Tamaraikani, refused to come out of his house even as police personnel waited in vain to arrest him.

Elaborate security arrangements were made in the southern districts following Mr. Azhagiri's arrest. No untoward incident was reported till late in the evening. The assistance of police officials from neighbouring districts is also being summoned to widen the operation, police sources said.

Meanwhile, the former DMK Minister, Duraimurugan, who arrived from Chennai to pay homage to Kiruttinan was not allowed into Kombukkaranendal (where Kiruttinan's body is kept for public homage) by some locals. However, the village elders and kin of the deceased managed to convince the mob and escort Mr. Duraimurugan to the house.

The Union Minister for Environment and Forests, T.R. Baalu; former State Ministers, I. Periyasamy, Veerapandi K. Arumugham and K. Ponmudi, paid their respects to Kiruttinan at his native place. The relatives and supporters of the victim barred entry to vehicles sporting DMK party flags.

The DMK State youth wing secretary and MLA, M.K. Stalin, who is returning to the State from United States, and other senior DMK functionaries are expected to participate in the funeral at Kombukkaranendal tomorrow.