Tension at Bilichi after group clash

Coimbatore: Tension prevailed at Bilichi on the outskirts of the city after members of a group damaged a prayer hall on the Kottai Pirivu-Onnipalayam Road on Saturday. Following this, a group at the prayer hall picked up a wordy quarrel with the other section and smashed the window pane of a house.

Police said a group of people started the prayer house in the name of ‘New Life Family Prophetic Charitable Trust’ without getting any prior permission from the revenue department. Local residents and BJP functionaries protested against prayers being conducted there. Based on a complaint, Periyanaickenpalayam police registered a case under section 107 CrPC on September 15, 2017. A peace committee meeting was convened by North tahsildar Sivakumar with both parties and instructions were given not to hold prayer meetings in the hall. The prayer hall was closed for the past four weeks.

Meanwhile, pastor Vinodhkumar conducted a welfare programme for poor people in the prayer hall and gave away clothes to 25 people. When a group obstructed the programme, a wordy quarrel erupted leading to a clash that destroyed properties in the prayer hall. C Karthik, 32 of Angalammanpuram, suffered a scalp injury and he was admitted to the Coimbatore Medical college and Hospital. Periyanaickenpalayam police rushed to the spot and secured D Vinodkumar, 40, of No 4 Veerapandi at Periyanaickenpalayam and B Jayavel, 23, from No 4 Veerapandi.

The police also secured Kavitha, 33, wife of Selvaraj and Rajeswari, 54, wife of Ravindran, both from Angalammanpuram near Bilichi.

“We have arrested six people from two religious outfits. We have deployed more than 12 police personnel to prevent any untoward incidents,” said SP Pa Moorthy.