Tirunelveli: Armed gang runs amok in indiscriminate attack near Nanguneri; 2 killed
Masked assailants attack residents of Perumpathu village with sickles; villagers stage road blockade demanding swift arrests
Two persons were killed and six others injured after an armed gang allegedly went on a rampage at Perumpathu village near Nanguneri in Tirunelveli district on Monday night (March 2), according to media reports.
According to the police, around nine assailants arrived on three two-wheelers and attacked residents standing outside a tea shop opposite the bus stop. The gang, reportedly armed with sickles and wearing masks, began assaulting passers-by indiscriminately, triggering panic in the area.
The deceased have been identified as John Mark, a resident of Perumpathu, and a migrant brick kiln worker from a North Indian state.
Injured shifted to Tirunelveli
Five of the injured were identified as A Nelson, P Prabhakaran, and V Ramasamy of Perumpathu; A Ganesan of Veerankulam; and S Sasikumar of Puliyankulam.
Police said the victims were administered first aid at the Government Hospital in Nanguneri before being shifted to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for further treatment.
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A villager alleged that the gang attacked at least five persons before fleeing the spot. Some residents claimed the assailants appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the attack.
Road blockade, tension in village
Soon after the incident, residents belonging to the Backward Classes and Scheduled Caste communities jointly staged a road blockade on the Nanguneri–Ervadi Road, demanding immediate identification and arrest of the culprits.
Protesters alleged that the attack followed recent tensions in the village, including a petrol bomb incident, and claimed that police action had been delayed. However, the police denied that the attack had any caste overtones.
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Superintendent of Police V Prassannakumar said efforts were under way to secure the accused.
“We are about to secure the culprits involved in the attack,” he said.
Police personnel from various stations across Tirunelveli district have been deployed in Nanguneri taluk to prevent further escalation. CCTV footage from roads leading to the village is being analysed as part of the investigation.