Boats, huts torched as murder triggers violence in TN's Cuddalore

Police sources told The Hindu that the two groups involved in the clash—families of the present panchayat president and former president Masilamani—had a long-standing rivalry.

Tensions between the two groups had intensified after members contested against each other for the post of panchayat president of Gundu Uppalavadi which had led to clashes in April.

The police had then booked cases against them.

Recently, a 36-year-old fisherman, identified as Madivanan, was hacked to death by a 10-member gang, The Hindu reported. Madivanan is the brother of former panchayat president Masilamani.

Madivanan was reportedly returning from Cuddalore to Thazhanguda on his two-wheeler when the gang ambushed him. The assailants then hacked him to death which escalated tensions between the two groups.

Superintendent of Police M. Sree Abhinav told The Hindu that supporters of Madivanan went on a riot and torched fishing boats and two-wheelers.

The violence started at 10 pm and at least 20 fishing boats were set ablaze. The rioters also ransacked 10 houses of the rival group.

According to reports, four cars were also torched and one person was killed during the clashes.

According to The Hindu, the rival groups were bound by Section 107 in The Code Of Criminal Procedure—security for keeping the peace in other cases—for a year in January.

The police had also invoked CrPC Section 110—security for good behavior from habitual offenders—against them, but they violated the bond, Abhinav said.

He added that 43 persons have been detained in connection with the arson.