Unidentified persons damaged hundreds of arecanut and tapioca plants at Chinnamaruthur, near Jedarpalayam, in Namakkal district early Sunday morning.
Following this, Namakkal District Collector S. Uma held a peace meeting at Jedarpalayam in the evening.
In March this year, a 27-year-old woman who took out cattle for grazing was allegedly raped and murdered at Karapalayam near Jedarpalayam. The police arrested a 17-year-old boy, who was working in a jaggery manufacturing unit in the locality, in connection with the case. After the incident, property belonging to two groups of a particular community was damaged. Following this, more than 800 police personnel were deployed in various villages in Paramathi Velur police limits, and check posts were set up to frisk people entering and leaving the village.
On June 25, over 1,800 arecanut plants were cut down by unidentified persons at Chinnamaruthur. Soundarajan (60), a resident of Pothanur, had planted around 3,000 arecanut plants on the land that he had take on lease.
On July 9, unidentified people again cut down arecanut plants on the same land and a few plantain crops in the locality. The gang also damaged motor pumps on the land. Tapioca crops on lands owned by Prakash and Suruttai Mani of Chinnamaruthur were also destroyed.
On information, the police rushed to the spot and inquired. Inspector General of Police (West Zone) R. Sudhakar, Salem Range Deputy Inspector General of Police S. Rajeswari, and Namakkal Superintendent of Police S. Rajesh Kannan inspected the spot.
In a release, Collector Uma and SP Rajesh Kannan said the district administration and the police were taking necessary steps to prevent anti-social activities at Jedarpalayam and its surrounding areas. The police and Revenue officials were also monitoring these villages. If the public were suspicious of anyone’s movement in the villages, they should alert the police on 94981-81340. Stern action would be taken on anti-social elements damaging public or private properties, they said.
On Sunday, the police and district administration conducted a peace meeting at Jedarpalayam with representatives from various castes and local village panchayat presidents and sought their support to identify the culprits.
Published - July 09, 2023 08:57 pm IST
