Four Lankan refugees arrested for assaulting camp neighbours

A Sri Lankan refugee family of three was assaulted by a group of fellow refugees at the Kottur camp near Pollachi, reportedly over professional rivalry on Saturday, the Times of India reported.

The police have arrested four refugees and have sent them to Puzhal central prison in Chennai. Police said that it was a minor clash and said the situation is now under control in the camp.

N Pradeepan, 24, B Parthiban, 25, his brother B Sanjay alias Karthik, 22 and S VIjayaraja, 22, were living in the camp for several years and were working as wall painters. Police said that the four had obtained a contract to paint a house in Kottur recently. But Vimal, also a painter living in the camp, had struck a deal with the house owner agreeing to paint the house for a lower charge.

Angered at losing the contract, Pradeepan along with three other accused visited Vimal's house and picked up a quarrel. Since Vimal was not at the house when they went, his father K Arul Inba, 48, sought to pacify them.
"But they started abusing Arul Inba. His son Kishanthan and daughter Kajanthi came to his rescue. But Pradeepan and his gang started assaulting them as well,'' police said.