Author: Kumar Chellappan
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: October 8, 2013
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/todays-newspaper/we-killed-5-sangh-men-ummah-ultra.html

Terrorist tells TN cops the two militants held in Puttur aided him in the murders

 In a shocking revelation, terror suspect Fakruddin, who was arrested by Tamil Nadu Police on Friday, has confessed to his role in the murders of all five Sangh Parivar leaders in Tamil Nadu during the last 18 months. He said the leaders of the Hindu outfits were murdered by him in association with Panna Ismail and Bilal Malik.

 Ismail and Malik were held from Puttur in Andhra Pradesh in a joint operation on Saturday by the Chennai Police and commandoes of Andhra Pradesh Police. All three were members of the dreaded al-Ummah, a banned organisation.

 Sources in the Intelligence Bureau said Fakruddin told police during interrogation that he had plans to murder Ram Gopalan, the octogenarian leader of the Hindu Munnani and RR Gopaljee, the young organiser of the VHP.

 Fakruddin had made two reconnaissance trips to Chennai Central on Thursday and Friday as part of his mission to bump off Ram Gopalan and Gopaljee. While Ram Gopalan is considered the main ideologue of the RSS in Tamil Nadu, Gopaljee is known for his acumen as an organiser.

 Fakruddin was held by the Special Investigation Division of Tamil Nadu Police when he was planning to sabotage Friday's Umbrella Procession at Chennai being held as part of the Brahmotsavam festival at Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh.

 The procession, which was revived by Gopaljee after a gap of ten years, carries 11 huge umbrellas meant for the October 8 festival in Tirumala. Thousands of devotees, including leaders of various Hindu outfits participate in this age-old traditional procession, described as a major cultural event in Chennai. Any untoward incident would have had far-reaching consequences in the State, said a senior official.

 The police were on the lookout for Fakruddin for his role in the plan to assassinate senior BJP leader LK Advani in October 2011 during his Jan Chetana Yatra.

 A six-foot-long PVC pipe, stuffed with explosives and connected to a 12 volt battery was detected by the bomb disposal squad of the Tamil Nadu Police underneath a culvert hours before the BJP leader was to pass over it.

 Interestingly, the policemen who nabbed Panna Ismail and Bilal Malik seized the same kind of explosives and pipes from their hideouts in Puttur.  While Ram Gopalan declined to make any comment, Gopaljee said he was told by police officials about the revelations.

 “Well, I will divert all my energy to strengthen Hindu dharma through peaceful means. One cannot run away from the battlefield,” he told The Pioneer.

 Fakruddin is reported to have told the police, that he along with Bilal and Ismail murdered S Vellaiyappan (State Secretary, Hindu Munnani on July 1, 2013), V Ramesh (State BJP Secretary, July 19, 2013), V Arvind Reddy (BJP's medical wing secretary, October 23, 2012), B Suresh Kumar (BJP leader, June 26, 2013), and Murugan (BJP leader, March 19, 2013).

 What stands out in these murders is the comparatively young age of the victims, pointed out a police officer. “This looks like a series of well-planned and selective murders,” he said.In addition to these murders, there were attempts on the lives of Sangh Parivar leaders like H Raja and Arjun Sampath.

 L Ganeshan, member, BJP National Executive, said he was grateful to the Tamil Nadu Government for getting the culprits arrested. “But all these murders could have been prevented had the police taken steps to stop the free run enjoyed by the likes of Fakruddin,” said Ganeshan.

 Though Syed Meera and Dharvesh Mydeen, mother and brother respectively of Fakruddin charged that they were being tortured by the police, senior police officials rubbished their claims.

 “This is the standard practice and we all know how they would make false statements against us. We were very careful in our probes,” said a senior official.

Evil designs

 Fakruddin told police he had plans to murder Ram Gopalan, the octogenarian leader of the Hindu Munnani and RR Gopaljee, the young organiser of the VHP

 Fakruddin had made two reconnaissance trips to Chennai Central on Thursday and Friday as part of his mission to bump off Ram Gopalan and Gopaljee

 While Ram Gopalan is considered the main ideologue of the RSS in Tamil Nadu, Gopaljee is known for his acumen as an organiser