2016 Coimbatore riots

Date| September 22–24, 2016
Location|

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Caused by| Murder of Hindu Munnai functionary C Sasikumar
Methods|

* Rioting
* arson
* burglary
* looting

Resulted in| Riot stopped after 2 days
Casualties
Injuries|

* 12 Police men from stone pelting
* 3 Police suffered fire burns

Arrested| 650 people, mostly from Hindu Munnani
Detained|

* 305 Hindu Munnani members
* 2 BJP members

Damages

All damages|

* 10 private vehicles including an autorickshaw burned down
* 6 Police Vehicles including a police Jeep burned down
* 34 government buses
* 39 shops belonging to Muslims
* 15 shops belonging to the Hindus

Total estimated cost of the damages : ₹5 Crores[1]

The 2016 Coimbatore riots refers to the riots that took place in Coimbatore from September 22 to September 24, 2016, by members of the Hindu Munnani[2] after the murder of the outfit's district spokesperson, C Sasikumar.[3][4][5]

## Background

[edit]

Sasikumar was attacked when he was returning to his home in his motor-cycle when unidentified men chased him in their motor-cycles and assaulted him with Sickles on September 22, 2016, in Subramaniampalayam, a place in the outskirts of the city.[6] Despite his injuries he managed to escape and later died in a private hospital.[7]

Meanwhile, more than 500 members of the Hindu Munnani gathered near the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital(CMCH) where his body was taken for autopsy. The Hindu Munnani state president who also warned of "another Gujarat" in Tamil Nadu, called for a state-wide bandh in the following day.[7][8]

## Riots

[edit]

The violence reportedly started within hours of his murder on September 22 when three mosques were attacked with petrol bombs.[9][10]

During the funeral procession of Sasikumar from CMCH to Subramaniampalayam which was participated by mob consisting of members Hindu Munnani,[11] Rashtriya Swayamsevak sangh (RSS) and BJP.[12] Members of the Hindu Munnani started destroying the window panes of several shops and attacked several houses and commercial establishments mostly of Muslims, along their way. The mob also pelted stones at the buses and attacked several places of worship creating chaos.[13][2][10][9] When the procession reached the Thudiyalur, where Sasikumar lived, the mob turned their rage at the police and started pelting stones at the police which injured 12 policemen and also burned a Police jeep.[10] Media persons covering the funeral procession were also attacked and three police officers also sustained burn injuries.[14][15]

The mob also set several cars on fire and some members set fire and ransacked several Shops.[16] 1 Police jeep and an auto-rickshaw were burned down and at least 30 government buses were damaged by the rioters.[17][3] Eyewitness claimed that the mob went on a looting spree even in-front of the watching police.[5]

A Muslim man's mobile phone shop at Tutiyalur was looted and ransacked allegedly by members of Hindutva outfits after they broke into the shop at the night of September 24. The CCTV video of the looting quickly went viral on social media. The Muslim Community alleged that Muslim businesses were mostly targeted by the rioters.[18][5]

Tensions also prevailed in Tiruppur and most of the Shops were closed down in both the cities during the rampage. Some schools were also closed. Six special police teams have been formed to catch the rioters. Meanwhile, Muslim organizations asked the collector for an intervention by district administration to end the violence by Hindutva outfits.[6]

## Damages

[edit]

A joint petition by the Forum for Coimbatore People's Unity including several advocate's and political parties to the district collector in January 2019, reported that the rioters of the Hindu Munnani had damaged 10 private vehicles, 34 government buses, 39 shops belonging to Muslims, 15 shops belonging to the Hindus and 6 Police Vehicles. The report estimated the damages to about 5 crores.[1] The petition asked the district administration to collect 5 crores from Hindu Munnani and also accused the Hindu Munnani of trying to get political gains from the riots.[19]

## Arrests

[edit]

The Coimbatore police reported that it had arrested more than 650 people involved in the unrest on September 26. Of them 129 remained in custody for allegedly planning violence and involvement in violence and the remaining were given bail. The police also warned that the number would go up.[20][21] As of September 27, a total of 305 Hindu Munnani members were arrested.[22]

In October 2016, Two members of the Bharatiya Janata Party were arrested for their involvement in the riots under the Goondas Act and were sent to the Vellore Central Prison.[23]

## Investigation

[edit]

Director general of police, Ramesh. K Ramanujam said that there is an issue in the investigation for the case, because not every murder was communal in nature and a series of murders in the state for the past few years have been given communal colour by Hindutva groups in an attempt to spread their ideologies.[24] A senior police officer said that some members of Hindutva outfits have known criminal records and when caught they try to use their religion to escape from the law.[25]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "'Get Rs 5cr from Hindu Munnani for damage caused during riot' | Coimbatore News - Times of India". The Times of India. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
2. ^ a b "Violence erupts in Coimbatore after mobs protest murder of Hindu Munnani leader". Hindustan Times. 24 September 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
3. ^ a b Yamunan, Sruthisagar. "In Coimbatore, a murder and mob action expose the hate politics of fringe religious groups". Scroll.in. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
4. ^ "CBCID to probe murder of Hindu Munnani activist in Coimbatore". theweek.in. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
5. ^ a b c Madhav, Pramod (25 September 2016). "Communal tension in Coimbatore, mobs on looting spree, petrol bombs hurled at shop". India Today. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
6. ^ a b "Coimbatore tense as Hindu Munnani man hacked to death". dtNext.in. 24 September 2016. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
7. ^ a b "Communal tension in Coimbatore after Hindu Munnani leader hacked to death". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
8. ^ "Communal flashpoint Coimbatore: Is the TN government doing enough to prevent violence?". in.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
9. ^ a b "Islamic organisations blame police for violence in Coimbatore". The Hindu. 2 October 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
10. ^ a b c Subburaj, A. (24 September 2016). "Mobs go on rampage at funeral of Hindu activist in Coimbatore | Coimbatore News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
11. ^ "கொலை... கொள்ளை... வன்முறை... வேடிக்கை பார்த்த போலீஸ்!". www.vikatan.com/ (in Tamil). 27 September 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
12. ^ கோவை மாவட்ட இந்து முன்னணி நிர்வாகி படுகொலை: இறுதி ஊர்வலத்தில் கலவரம்; கடைகள் சூறை. Dinamani (in Tamil). 24 September 2016. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018.
13. ^ Madhavan, Karthik (23 September 2016). "Murder of Hindu Munnani functionary sparks communal violence in Coimbatore". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
14. ^ "Hindu Munnani functionary hacked to death, bandh turns violent". India Today. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
15. ^ "Hindu Munnani functionary succumbs to burns". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
16. ^ "Bandh called by Hindu Munnani turns violent". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
17. ^ "Hindu activist's murder: After riots, calm in Coimbatore". mid-day. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
18. ^ "Coimbatore violence: CCTV footage of Muslim man's mobile phone shop being looted". www.thenewsminute.com. 25 September 2016. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
19. ^ "Get Rs 5cr from Hindu Munnani for damage caused during riot". NYOOOZ. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
20. ^ Ananth, M.K. (26 September 2016). "Coimbatore unrest: 650 arrested". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
21. ^ "Coimbatore bandh: More than 100 protesters of Hindu Munnani arrested for rioting after murder of their leader". India.com. 24 September 2016. Archived from the original on 25 September 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
22. ^ Karthikeyan (27 September 2016). "சசிகுமார் கொலை.. கோவை கலவரத்திற்கு காரணமான 305 இந்து முன்னணியினர் சிறையில் அடைப்பு". tamil.oneindia.com (in Tamil). Retrieved 24 March 2022.
23. ^ "Funeral procession violence: 2 BJP cadres slapped with Goondas Act | Coimbatore News - Times of India". The Times of India. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
24. ^ "Not all attacks on Hindu leaders communal: Tamil Nadu DGP". The Hindu. 26 July 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
25. ^ Yamunan, Sruthisagar (27 September 2016). "In Coimbatore, a murder and mob action expose the hate politics of fringe religious groups". Scroll.in. Retrieved 31 March 2020.