Pasupathi Pandian killers point fingers at Subash Pannayar

MADURAI: In an interesting turn of events in the murder case of dalit leader Pasupathi Pandian recently, two youths, who surrendered in connection with the case, allegedly confessed that Subash Pannayar had ordered the killing. Police have now launched a hunt for Subash, as well as 10 others, including a woman.
Subash is the brother of late Venkatesh Pannayar, the husband of former Union minister of state for home, Radhika Selvi.The killing of Pandian was to avenge the murder of Pannayar brothers' grandfather.
"The two accused have named Subash Pannayar, a native of Moolakarai in Tuticorin district as the person who ordered the killing. The arrested have admitted that they were henchmen of Subash. They have also named 11 others, including a woman from Dindigul behind the murder," said Dindigul SP T Jayachandran. Police have formed three teams to nab Subash and the other accused, who are on the run.
Pandian, a dalit leader and president of Devendra Kula Velalar Kuttamaippu, was brutally hacked to death in front of his house at Nandhavanappatti village in Dindigul on January 10. Two persons, identified as M Arumugasamy (26) of Idhayathavanai in Tirunelveli district and J Arulanandham (26) of Mullakadu in Tuticorin district surrendered before a court in Valliyoor at Tirunelveli two days later and confessed to have committed the murder.
Arumugasamy and Arulanandam were taken into police custody a few days ago when they reportedly pointed fingers at Subash. Both Subash Pannayar and Venkatesh Pannayar had been nursing a grudge against Pandian for over two decades ever since the latter allegedly murdered the Pannayar brothers' grandfather. Pandian was also accused of murdering two other relatives of the Pannayar brothers.
After Venkatesh Pannayar was shot dead in a police encounter in 2003, Subash Pannayar allegedly masterminded several attempts on the life of Pandian, who, however, survived those bids including one in 2006, when his wife Jacintha was shot dead.
"Subash Pannayar was constantly looking for an opportunity to strike back at Pandian. Due to this threat, Pandian shifted his residence from Tuticorin to Dindigul, 10 years ago. Subash Pannayar had assigned the task of murdering Pandian to his henchmen, who were regularly trailing him for the right opportunity to attack," said a police officer.
Police are on the lookout for Nirmala, a village panchayat member in Nandhavanapatti, who had a personal enmity with Pandian and was informing his movements to Pannayar's men.