One held in the recent assault on senior RSS cadre
COIMBATORE: Police have arrested a 19-year-old suspect in connection with last week's assault on a senior cadre of a right wing Hindu outfit in Mettupalayam that triggered a series of isolated violent protests for more than 24 hours in the region. The police claimed that they were grilling the accused for further details to ascertain the motive behind the assault. They also added that more arrests were likely in the coming days but denied to divulge further details in the matter.
"We have arrested one person in connection with the incident and are probing further at the moment," said ES Uma, SP, Coimbatore (Rural).
According to police, the arrested youth was identified as Syyed Abu Tahir (19) of Mettupalayam who was picked up late on Wednesday night near Kattur railway gate. He originally hails from Mettupalayam and is a resident of Lajjamal layout street. As per police records he is pursuing his diploma in journalism through a private centre in Ukkadam.
According to police Abu Tahir was arrested a few weeks ago for sending 'harsh' SMSes to some local BJP leaders in Mettupalayam. He was arrested and later released on bail in connection with the incident. More arrests are expected in the incident as S Anand, district secretary of the RSS unit in Tirupur was attacked by two people on a motorcycle on November 6 when he was returning home from work in Mettupalayam. Abu Tahir was produced before a magistrate and was remanded to custody on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Coimbatore district collector M Karunagaran convened a meeting with representatives of both majority and minority communities at the district collectorate on Thursday evening. Senior police officials both from the city and rural limits attended the meeting. It has been learnt that leaders of the community assured the officials that they will allow the law to take its course and will not indulge in any activity to disrupt communal harmony in the district. The police department is also intensifying its measures by installing more police pickets in the city and stepping up vigil and patrol to maintain law and order.
The assault on S Anand last week triggered a round of violent incidents in Mettupalayam leading to the gutting of a government bus parked at the Mettupalayam bus stand and also isolated incidents of stone pelting at various other buses plying between Mettupalayam and Coimbatore.
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