This story is from September 24, 2016

Mobs go on rampage at funeral of Hindu activist in Coimbatore

Hindu Munnani's C Sasikumar, 36, was hacked to death by a motorbike-borne gang around 11pm near Thudiyalur on Thursday when he was returning home.
Mobs go on rampage at funeral of Hindu activist in Coimbatore
A police jeep was set on fire at the funeral procession of Sasikumar, the slain member of Hindu Munnani, on Frida. (TOI photo)
COIMBATORE: Shaken by the murder of a Hindu Munnani spokesman late on Thursday and threatened by the prospects of retaliation, Coimbatore and neighbouring Tirupur lived a tense night and a day marked by sporadic incidents of violence. Hindu Munnani's C Sasikumar, 36, was hacked to death by a motorbike-borne gang around 11pm near Thudiyalur on Thursday when he was returning home.
Mobs went on a rampage during the funeral procession, damaging window panes of several shops along the procession route from Coimbatore Medical College Hospital to Subramaniampalayam.

Reaching Thudiyalur, where Sasikumar lived, the group turned their ire at the police, setting fire to a police jeep and throwing stones at them. At least 12 policemen were injured. Police later arrested about 50 men. By midday, some 3,500 policemen were swarming the city .
Police said the assailants must have trailed Sasikumar for a few days. “But he didn't inform us, “ said an officer. Though there are no eye witnesses to the murder, police said that a few people had seen four men on two motorcycles following him.Only moments after the murder, a few passersby noticed him on the road and rushed him to the hospital.
Police said there was a dent on the rear of Sasikumar's motorcycle. The assailants, they said, would have knocked him down first. And he must have tried to flee as his body was found several feet away from his bike, they added.
The murder, coming close on the heels of two attacks on Hindu outfit functionaries in Hosur and Dindigul in the last 10 days, has irked the outfit leaders. “It appears that the administration has broken down in the state,“ said Hindu Munnani founder Ramagopalan.

On Thursday night, Sasikumar was on his motorbike when the gang intercepted him near his house and hacked him. With 11 deep cuts, Sasikumar was rushed to a private hospital where he died. Police are yet to name suspects. “We have formed six special teams to nab the culprits,“ said Coimbatore Rural SP Ramya Bharathi.
The situation remained tense till late in the night as mobs resorted to stone pelting.Earlier in the day, petrol bombs were hurled at three mosques.Nobody was injured. In Tirupur, too, there was a bandh-like situation, with shops downing shutters. There were sporadic incidents of violence.
Coimbatore city police commissioner A Amalraj said the situation was under control. “We have started arresting people involved in violence,“ he said.
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