In what could have been a scene right out of a Tamil movie, the absconding leader of the caste-outfit Dheeran Chinnamalai Peravai, Yuvaraj, surrendered before the CB-CID in Namakkal in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
Yuvaraj is accused of murdering Dalit youth Gokulraj in June this year. Gokulraj’s decapitated body was found by the railway tracks in Namakkal after he was reportedly spotted with a caste-Hindu girl at the Tiruchengode temple. Yuvaraj has since maintained his innocence.
At Namakkal on Sunday morning, Yuvaraj got a rousing welcome from his fellow caste-members. Hundreds of people gathered to voice their support for him as he has remained in touch with them through statements and messages, often inciting caste sentiments. TV reports say that Yuvaraj came riding pillion on a bike to the police station. He had his face covered and wore a disguise, but as he came closer, he removed it and the driver of the bike started shouting that Yuvaraj had arrived. He later changed into a white shirt and surrendered to the police, according to TV reports.
In a WhatsApp audio message released on Saturday, Yuvaraj has said that he was going to surrender since the CB-CID of the state police had not harassed his friends and family, unlike the district police.
The state CB-CID took over the investigation of the Gokulraj murder case following the suicide of DSP Vishnupriya, who was investigating the case. In spite of the two high profile cases being linked to Yuvaraj, he was absconding from the police but was freely giving interviews to TV channels and sending out public messages to his followers.
The Tamil Nadu police department had come under sharp criticism for not being able to arrest Yuvaraj.
Anti-caste activists have slammed Yuvaraj for inflaming caste-passions in the West TN region.