Karunanidhi demands CBI probe into Madurai incidents

CHENNAI: Under attack from various quarters on the Madurai police 'inaction', the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Thursday sought a CBI probe into the attack on the office of Tamil daily 'Dinakaran', which left three persons dead a day earlier.

Announcing this in the state assembly, Karunanidhi said that since the issue concerned his family memebers, a probe by the state police would not be sufficient.

Hence, a CBI probe has been ordered, he said.

The Chief Minister's announcement comes in the wake of severe criticism of the Madurai police role during violence allegedly by supporters of his elder son MK Azhagiri against the paper owned by the Maran family which had conducted a
an opinion poll favouring his younger son MK Stalin as his political successor.

Two computer engineers and a security personnel of 'Dinakaran' were killed on Wednesday when supporters of Azhagiri allegedly attacked the daily's office in Madurai and set it afire, angered over the opinion poll.

The newspaper is owned by Karunanidhi's grand nephew Kalanidhi Maran, brother of Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran.