Perumal buried amid tributes and protests in Salem

METTUKKADU, Salem: Gandhian Sasi Perumal’s body was buried in his Mettukkadu, his native village, on Friday evening. The body, which was kept at the mortuary in Asaripallam in Kanyakumari district from last Friday, was brought to Mettukkadu near Elampillai in Salem on Friday afternoon.
The body was handed over to Perumal’s family on Thursday around 12.30am.Sasi Perumal's son Navaneethan and MDMK leader Vaiko received the body from the hospital authorities and reached Salem district border on Friday around 9.30 am.
Vehicles including bikes and cars accompanying the funeral van passed through the main roads in Salem city and reached his house in Mettukkadu at 12.20pm. The village was draped in banners demanding for total prohibition in the state. Founder president of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) Thol Thirumavalavan and general secretary of Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (MMK) Thameemun Ansari joined in the vehicle procession when the vehicles entered the city.
Sasi Perumal's wife Magizham, sons Vivek and Navaneethan, daughter Kaviyarasi performed special pujas. Around 12.50 pm, the police allowed the public to pay their last respects.
DMK treasurer M K Stalin visited Mettukkadu at 1.05pm and paid tribute on behalf of DMK. Addressing journalists, he accused the government and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa of not taking steps to control law and order issues in the state. He added that she also did not give any statement on prohibition. Stalin also appealed to the public to join in the prohibition protests to fulfill Sasi Perumal's last wish. Later, he handed over 10 lakh as relief to Sasi Perumal's wife.
Political leaders from various parties including Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president EVKS Elangovan, president of PMK G K Mani, Velavancode MLA S Vijayadharini, founder president of Tamilaga Valvurimai Katchi Velmurugan, state secretary of CPM G Ramakrishnan, former Congress leader Kumari Anandhan and others paid homage. Sasi Perumal's body was buried around 5.30 pm on Friday evening.
To avoid any untoward incident, more than 850 police personnel were deployed in Mettukkadu and adjacent regions.