Unidentified persons damaged two cars and an equal number of autorickshaws belonging to BJP and Hindu Munnani functionaries in Pollachi in Coimbatore district on Friday, September 23, police said. The incident comes in the backdrop of the arrest of Popular Front of India (PFI) functionaries in Coimbatore by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths and also hurling of petrol bombs at the BJP office and a textile showroom in the district on Thursday night.
The police said miscreants hurled a plastic cover filled with petrol on the car parked outside the house of a BJP functionary at Kumaran Nagar in Pollachi, about 35 kms from Coimbatore, around 3 am on Friday and attempted to set it on fire. As they failed to lit the fire, the miscreants damaged the windshield and side glasses of the car. The BJP functionary, who came out after hearing the noise, noticed two persons fleeing the scene on a motorcycle, police said. Similarly, a car belonging to another BJP member was also damaged by the offenders in the same area.
Two autorickshaws belonging to Hindu Munnani members, who parked the vehicles in front of their houses were also damaged by the miscreants in Pollachi, police said. Police have registered cases and investigations are on.
Meanwhile, a BJP functionary's furniture shop in Erode was attacked by the offenders, who threw packets filled with petrol and diesel. According to police, a former BJP Youth Wing District secretary was running a furniture shop at Moolapalayam, Erode. On Thursday midnight, some persons threw packets filled with petrol and diesel into the locked shop and lit fire damaging a portion of the shop.
On Friday, the BJP functionary opened the shop and found the damage. He lodged a complaint with the police, who rushed to the spot with fingerprint experts. The police registered a case and are investigating.
Police have also tightened the security in the district and patrol has been increased to prevent any untoward incident. Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel on Friday took out a flag march through the main thoroughfare in the city to instil confidence among the public. Over 100 armed RAF personnel started their march from Thiruvallur Bus Stand in Gandhipuam and returned after covering more than 5 km through Cross Cut Road and Ramnagar.
City Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan on Friday said stringent action under various sections will be taken against those indulging in activities disturbing peaceful atmosphere. Referring to the incidents of petrol bomb being hurled at various places, Balakrishnan said that those involved in it will be brought to book soon.
New cameras will be installed at required areas and where there are no checkposts, he said. Three special teams were formed to investigate the incidents and to monitor the movement of suspects, Balakrishnan said.
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