Independent candidate assaulted on Omalur police station premises

SALEM: An independent candidate in the Omalur assembly constituency was assaulted by a man as he came out of the Omalur police station on Saturday. The assaulted man has been identified as Suresh Kumar, 47, of Denishpet, who contested in the Omalur constituency as an independent candidate in the April 23 assembly election with the support of the Ramadoss faction of PMK. Suresh Kumar appeared before the Omalur police along with PMK Ramadoss faction state youth wing secretary 'Thamizhan' Senthil Kumar. The two had lodged complaints against each other. Senthil Kumar lodged a complaint against Suresh Kumar about unpaid election expenses while Suresh Kumar complained that Senthil Kumar had refused to return his four-wheeler.Police said an inquiry was conducted in the presence of inspector Rathna Kumar. When Suresh Kumar came out after the inquiry, M Ayyavu, 50, of Denishpet, who had been waiting there, attacked him, beat him with his sandals and threatened to kill him. Ayyavu told police that he attacked Suresh Kumar as the latter had not repaid the money he had borrowed during the Covid period.Police registered a case and arrested Ayyavu.