"DMK Leader Hit Father With Sword": Soldier's Brother On Mob Attack

A DMK councillor was wielding a sword during the mob attack that killed a soldier in Tamil Nadu, the man's s brother has said. Councillor Chinnaswamy "slashed at my father with a sword. Luckily the blow landed on his head. Had it been his neck, he would not have survived," said Prabhakar, who was also injured in the attack of February 8.

The man, who was in the ICU of a hospital in Krishnagiri district since the attack, has been released for his brother's last rites. Prabhu M, 29, died on Tuesday after a six-day battle for life.

The quarrel with the Councillor had started over a question of washing clothes with water from a local Syntex tank, Prabhakar told NDTV in an exclusive interview. "Chinnaswamy's nephew was also washing clothes there and they ordered us to go away. I said why should we go. Everyone washes clothes there," he said.

The altercation escalated and when the man tried to beat up Prabhakar, his brother and mother with a slipper, the locals intervened and calmed everyone down.

But in the evening, Chinnaswamy, his relatives and henchmen, came to Prabhakar's house.

"They abused my father and then Chinnaswamy attacked him with a sword," Prabhakar said. The blow landed on his forehead and as his father started screaming in pain, Prabhakar came out of the house.

Immediately he was dragged aside by six or seven men who started beating him. "My brother was still inside. When I started cried out in pain, he came out. But before he could do anything, they felled him with one blow on his neck," Prabhakar said.

Nine men, including Chinnaswamy, have been arrested for the attack. But there has been no response or action from the state's ruling DMK. The family has demanded death penalty for all thoe involved in the attack.

Prabhu's widow Punitha, who has two infant daughters, has demanded a meeting with the Chief Minister.