Lourdu Francis (55), a Village Administrative Officer (VAO) of Tamil Nadu’s Murappanadu in Thoothukudi district, was hacked to death by two men on Tuesday, April 25, for taking action against illegal sand mining. The police arrested one of the two accused on the day of the incident itself and formed four special teams to nab the second accused, Marimuthu, who was arrested on April 26.
Two weeks earlier, on April 13, Lourdu lodged a complaint against one of the accused for illegally mining sand from the Thamiraparani river bed. According to the First Information Report dated April 13, Lourdu, along with his colleague Ganesan, inspected the area early in the morning of April 13 after the VAO office received complaints regarding illegal sand mining. The duo went to Kaliyavur where they found a resident named Ramasubbu, loading sand into a van along with two other men. When Ramasubbu and his aides saw the VAO personnel, they fled the spot with the van.
On Lourdu’s complaint, the Murappanadu police booked Ramasubbu and two other men under Section 379 of the Indian Penal Code for theft.
On April 25, Ramasubbu barged into the Murappanadu VAO office with another man and hacked Lourdu with matchets, and fled the spot. Injured badly, Lourdu was rushed to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital where he failed to respond to treatment and died. The police arrested the duo and the second accused was identified as Marimuthu.
On April 25, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced that Rs 1 crore will be given to the family members of Lourdu. The ex-gratia payment will be dispensed from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Stalin also assured that one of his family members will get a government job.
பணியிலிருந்தபோது தாக்கப்பட்டு மரணமடைந்த தூத்துக்குடி மாவட்டம் முறப்பநாடு கோவில்பத்து கிராம நிர்வாக அலுவலர் திரு. லூர்து பிரான்சிஸ் அவர்களின் குடும்பத்தினருக்கு ஒரு கோடி ரூபாய் நிதியுதவி மற்றும் கருணை அடிப்படையில் அவரது குடும்பத்தில் ஒருவருக்கு அரசுப் பணி வழங்கிட மாண்புமிகு… pic.twitter.com/VcreCbcbmW
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) April 25, 2023
Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi met the family members of Lourdu Francis in the Tirunelveli Hospital and condoled them. Tamil Nadu political leaders including TTV Dhinakaran, Seeman, and Vijayakant also expressed their condolences to Lourdu's family members.