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A volleyball match played between members of a Sri Lankan refugee camp near Alandurai led to violence after the Hindu Munnani intervened in the matter.
Police arrested five people in connection with the incident but dismissed reports of petrol bombs being hurled during the clashes.
According to the Coimbatore Rural police, a member of the losing team got into a verbal duel with a player from the winning side. Both men, Vijay and Antony were intoxicated.
Siva, a 52-year-old refugee, who saw them fighting attempted to mediate. He was however assaulted by the two players. He then informed his son Sukendrakumar, who is a member of the Hindu Munnani, about the incident.
The urban district secretary of the fringe group, Ramesh Kumar, then reportedly contacted Antony over his mobile phone and questioned him about the attack. Antony allegedly abused him. Enraged by this, Ramesh Kumar went to the camp with more members of his outfit and assaulted a 34-year-old refugee named Charles Jayaseelan. Following this, clashes broke out between a group of refugees and the Hindu Munnani members.
Reports suggest that Ramesh Kumar and Suman suffered severe injuries in the attack. They were taken to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital.
"Hindu Munnani members pelted stones at refugees inside the camp," says SP Moorthy who spoke to The News Minute.
When asked about the accusation that no members of the right wing outfit were arrested, the top cop refuted it by saying, "Of the five people arrested from the camp, three belong to the Hindu Munnani. Arrests were made based on Suman's counter complaint," he says.
The urban district secretary of the Hindu Munnani too has lodged a complaint against two refugees under Sections 147 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 294 (b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words in or near any public place), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 307 (attempt to murder) and 506 (ii) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.