A raging dispute in DMK's first family took a violent turn today when three employees of the Maran-family owned Tamil newspaper 'Dinakaran' were killed after supporters of Chief Minister K Karunanidhi's elder son M K Azhagiri attacked the daily's office and set it afire, angered over an opinion poll favouring his brother Stalin. | |
| The protesters, who hurled petrol bombs and stones at the building, went on the rampage against the survey published by the newspaper owned by Karunanidhi's grand nephew Kalanidhi Maran, brother of Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran, on who would be the ageing DMK's patriarch's possible political heir. |
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| Two computer engineers and a security personnel of Dinakaran, which had published the opinion poll that gave 70 per cent rating for Stalin over 2 per cent for Azhagiri as Karunanidhi's successor, perished in the fire. |
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| Azhagiri is the southern face of DMK in Tamil Nadu having control of the party in Madurai, while Stalin is a minister in his father's Cabinet. |
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| Saddended by the events, Karunanidhi threatened to cancel the Friday function to felicitate him on the golden jubilee of his entry into the state Assembly and came out with a strong statement condemning the opinion poll and dismissed talk of dynastic politics in DMK. |
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| The survey "Makkal Manasu" (People's Mind) had also resulted in bad blood between DMK and its ally PMK with the poll giving a high rating for Dayanidhi Maran and a low rating for Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss. |
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| Newspaper machinery and computers were damaged and windowpanes smashed in the orgy of violence. Police said 25 people were arrested in connection with the arson and mob violence while one was detained in connection with the deaths. |
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| Protests, which were led by Madurai Mayor Thenmozhi Gopinath Madurai, were also reported in other parts of the state, including Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Cumbum and Kamuthi. |
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| Karunanidhi has voiced his anguish at the violence , while Azhagiri said there was an ulterior motive behind the survey. In a late night statement, the CM said there was no room for dynasty rule in a party like DMK which was a democratic one. |
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| Announcing a solatium of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the three deceased, Karunanidhi said the government would take "firm action" against those responsible for the incident. |
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