4 Arrested In Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore For Allegedly Assaulting Migrant Workers

Four people, including two Hindu Munnani organization members, were arrested and sent to judicial custody on Monday for allegedly attacking and assaulting migrant workers near the Mahaliamman Temple in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore city on Sunday night, police said.

Two of the four arrested were found to be under the influence of alcohol, officials added.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Coimbatore Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan confirmed the arrests, adding “All accused were in an inebriated condition at the time of the incident. A case has been registered against all four at PS Variety Hall Road.”

The four arrested have been identified as Prakash, Surya Prakash, Velmurugan, and Pragadeep. A couple of motorbikes used by them have also been seized.

Allegedly, a group of migrant workers was walking when the four accused blocked their way, claiming the migrants were not giving them way. The men began attacking them, even before the migrant workers could retaliate. Following the incident, numerous other migrants gathered outside the Variety Hall Police Station demanding immediate action.

Earlier this month, a team of officials from Bihar led by IAS officer D Balamurugan visited Tamil Nadu to investigate unverified reports of migrant labourers being targeted in the state. The team met the police officials to know about the actions taken so far. Officials of the Bihar government also held discussions with Bihar-based migrant workers in Chennai.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on March 9 accused BJP of proliferating rumours about the attack on migrants. There are no such incidents in the state, he further mentioned, adding the team from Bihar returned with full satisfaction.