Police deny 'watering down' Dinkaran attack complaints

MADURAI: Police on Monday denied charges of "watering down" complaints while registering cases against the May 9 attack on the Tamil daily Dinakaran's office here.

In his counter affidavit to the PIL by AIADMK Legislature Treasurer D Jayakumar in Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, city Rural Superintendent of Police T S Anbu today said the cases had been registered according to the offences committed by the accused under appropirate sections of law.

The SP said three incidents were reported following the attack.

The first case--burning of the Dinakaran daily office-was registered against 11 persons based on the complaint given by Head Constable Raghunathakalaimani as it took place in the presence of a large number of onlookers.

Another case on the stone pelting at the office and sloganeering infront of it, was registered based on the complaint given by the Sub Inspector Sethumangala Ramanan as no one from the daily preferred to give a complaint.

Twelve persons were allegedly involved in the second incident.

As many as 18 persons were involved in the third incident leading to the death of three employees of the daily. The arsonists set ablaze two motor bikes, smashed glass panes of the office and threw petrol bombs. All the three employees-died of asphyxiation and there was no external injury.