Tamil Nadu: Hindu Munnani functionary hacked to death

A 40-year-old Hindu Munnani functionary was hacked to death by a four-member gang here, leading to tension in the district and neighbouring Tirupur with the outfit calling for a bandh on Friday. 

Sasikumar, district spokesperson of the organisation, was returning home in Subramaniampalayam, in the outskirts, on a two-wheeler when the unidentified assailants chased him on motorcycles and attacked him with sickles late last night. He was immediately taken to a private hospital, where he died, police said.

Hindu Munnani has called for a state-wide bandh today to protest against the killing of Sasikumar. Tension prevailed in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts as the news about the murder spread. Shops and commercial establishments were closed in both the cities, and buses remained off the road since morning.

A group of men pelted stones at the buses parked on the road side and broke window screens. A driver of a private bus sustained injuries on his hand in the stone pelting, police said. 

 A large number of police were deployed on the premises of the Government Hospital here, where the postmortem is being carried out.

Six special police teams have been formed to nab the culprits, police said. Some schools in the city declared holiday today in view of the tense situation.