Tension gripped Thirubhuvanam and surrounding areas near Kumbakonam on Wednesday after V. Ramalingam, 42, a PMK functionary, was murdered late on Tuesday.

According to the police, Ramalingam was intercepted by a car-borne gang on Muslim Street at Thirubhuvanam around midnight and was attacked with lethal weapons resulting in deep cut injuries.

Subsequently, he was rushed to the Government District Headquarters Hospital, Kumbakonam, from where he was referred to the Government Medical College Hospital, Thanjavur.

He was declared dead on arrival at the GMCH.

Police pickets have been posted at all junctions and other sensitive points in Thirubhuvanam and surrounding areas to check any attempt by anti-social elements to foment communal tension, police said.
Video clip

According to police, on Tuesday morning, Ramalingam had a heated argument with some persons, who he accused of attempting to convert a section of Dalits in the village to Islam.

A video clip shared on social media showed Ramalingam accusing some members of a religious minority community of not being “religion-neutral.”

On Tuesday night, when Ramalingam was returning home from his shop at the Thirubhuvanam Bazaar, his vehicle was intercepted by a gang travelling by a car. The armed gang members attacked him indiscriminately with deadly weapons causing deep cut injuries on his hands and legs.

Members of Hindu outfits staged a road roko at Thirubhuvanam Bazaar, demanding the immediate arrest of those involved in the crime.

They were pacified by the senior police officers present at the village, who said that the gang members would be arrested.

PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Wednesday alleged that Ramalingam was murdered because he opposed religious conversion in his town.