TN police rejects charge of inaction on attacks on BJP leaders

Tamil Nadu police today rejected charges that it had failed to act on 'targeted' attacks on Hindu outfit leaders and BJP functionaries in the state, saying such statements are "misleading and contrary to the truth."
Refuting the charge levelled in the back drop of the July 19 murder of BJP state General Secretary V Ramesh in Salem, state DGP K Ramanujam said effective action, including detention of accused under the National Security Act or the Goondas Act, had been taken in such incidents.
In a statement, he listed out the cases starting from the 2011 instance of miscreants placing a pipe bomb in the yatra route of senior BJP leader L K Advani near Madurai and said in some cases, the motives were personal and that the accused belonged to the same religion that the victim belonged to.

Citing the murder of Ramesh and last month killing of Hindu Munnani leader Vellaiyappan in Vellore among others, Hindu organisations and some BJP leaders have said members of the Sangh parivar were being specifically targeted in the state.
Rejecting the charges, the DGP said effective action was being taken against any one attacking individuals irrespective of the motive, or causes harm to any organisation or tries to disturb communal harmony.
Recalling the 2011 incident involving Advani, he said a bomb placed under a culvert near Thirumangalam was unearthed and de-activated.
"In a case registered in this regard, seven accused have been arrested and remanded. One of them was arrested last month after persistent trailing for over two years. Efforts are on to track down the remaining three accused," he said.

He also pointed out that Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had constituted a Special Investigation Division to probe the murders of Ramesh and Vellaiyappan. The SID had announced cash rewards to the tune of Rs 20 lakh for information on four suspects in the case, he said.