New Year celebration turns violent, houses torched

Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, Jan 2 (UNI) The death of a 25-year-old man from injuries sustained during a New Year incident sparked violence with nine houses belonging to assailants' community set on fire by relatives of the victim.

Police said Siva of S N Colony was travelling on a tempo along with his friends on the night of December 31 when he was given sweets by some youths of a particular community at the Seddapalayam Bus Stop on the Cuddalore-Vriddachalam Road.

Siva took objection which soon snowballed into heated arguments.

In a fit of anger, the youths hit Siva on the head with a iron rod.

A bleeding Siva was rushed to the Cuddalore GH where he was given first aid and later rushed to the Pondicherry GH. The end came at 1500 hrs this afternoon.

After post-mortem, the body was being taken to the burial ground for last rites at 1800 hrs when irate relatives torched the houses belonging to the assailants' community.

Police rushed three companies of the strike forces with police reinforcements Poovaraghavan, Selvam, Selvamani, Muthukumaran, Dinesh Bala and Mohan have been arrested in connection with assault on Siva.

UNI