The mortal remains of Village Administrative Officer Y. Lourdhu Francis of Murappanaadu, who was murdered in his office on Tuesday, were laid to rest in Pudukottai near here on Wednesday.
The police, after arresting the main accused person Ramasubramanian of Kaliyaavoor near Murappanadu, who already has several criminal cases lodged against him at various police stations, nabbed his associate Marimuthu on Wednesday. The duo allegedly hacked Lourdhu Francis to death as the VAO had complained to the police about the illicit sand mining being carried out by Ramasubramanian. Marimuthu was nabbed from his hideout in Thaazhai Ooththu on the outskirts of Tirunelveli by a special police team.
Francis’s body was handed over to his relatives around 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday, after a post-mortem examination at the Government Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital by a team led by surgeon Selva Murugan. The body was taken to Soosai Pandiyapuram, Francis’s birthplace near Pudukottai on the Thoothukudi – Palayamkottai Highway. Following a Holy Mass conducted at St. Peter’s Church in Soosai Pandiyapuram, the mortal remains were taken in a procession and laid to rest in the burial ground near Pudukottai after 1 p.m.
District Collector K. Senthil Raj, who rushed from Tiruchendur after accompanying Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, P.K. Sekar Babu during the inspection at Subramaniya Swami Temple, paid his last respects at the burial ground along with District Revenue Officer Ajay Srinivasan.
The Collector also met the bereaved family at their residence in Soosai Pandiyapuram and offered his condolences. “We are here to extend all possible help to you and your children. We will not let you down as we will never forget the supreme sacrifice of Lourdhu Francis while discharging his duty,” Dr. Senthil Raj assured the devastated widow.
Kovilpatti MLA slams government
Kovilpatti MLA ‘Kadambur’ C. Raju, who laid a wreath on the body in the church, said there was no safety for government officials in the administration led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin even for discharging their duties. “If government officials do not have any guarantee for their lives in the Stalin-led government, you can imagine what will happen to an ordinary man in this regime,” Mr. Raju said.
Members of the Tamil Nadu Village Administrative Officers’ Association, who staged a demonstration in front of the Collectorate condemning the killing of Francis, submitted a petition to the District Revenue Officer seeking a speedy trial in this case to ensure “maximum punishment” to the murderers. They also appealed to the State government to give a family pension to wife of the slain VAO, as a special case.
Association demands special law to protect VAOs
“A special law ensuring the protection of VAOs should be enacted immediately. We will only inform our higher-ups about the illegal felling of trees, illicit sand mining and law and order issues and not file a formal complaint with the police until such an Act is brought in,” said M. Ganesa Perumal, president of the Association’s Thoothukudi branch.
The Association also sought action against the officials who had failed to act on the petition filed by Francis on April 13 with the revenue and the police officials seeking protection for himself.
Mr. Ganesa Perumal said the office-bearers of their Association would soon decide on contributions by VAOs across Tamil Nadu to help Francis’s family.
