The Central Bureau of Investigation must be entrusted with the task of probing the death of V. Satish Kumar, 27, of Kottaipatti village near Sattur in Virudhunagar district, the family members of the deceased have said.
Addressing a press conference, A. Kathir the executive director of the NGO Evidence, said the State police may not render justice as a ruling party functionary was the prime accused in the case.
A fact-finding team from Evidence had visited the hamlet and spoken to the villagers. “It gave us the impression that Satish Kumar’s murder was pre-planned,” Mr. Kathir said.
Kumar’s opposition to the move of a section of the villagers to support the candidature of AIADMK branch secretary A. Ramasubbu for the panchayat president’s post had triggered a commotion on the night of December 11. In the end, a gang attacked Kumar, who died a few minutes later, Mr. Kathir claimed.
Though the Virudhunagar district police had arrested all the accused, including Ramasubbu, the family members of the deceased doubted the integrity of the administration. They demanded a CBI inquiry and urged the State government not to let off the arrested accused on bail.
The kin of the deceased claimed that some ruling party functionaries in the village had said that even if Ramasubbu didn’t poll a majority of the votes, he will be elected to the post. Hence, the government should not conduct the election, they said.
“We will send a representation to the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, seeking his intervention,” they added.
Mr. Kathir demanded that the State government detain all the seven accused under the Goondas Act.
