Karunanidhi mourns Arumugam`s death

Chennai: DMK president M Karunanidhi today condoled the death of Veerapandi S Arumugam, and alleged that the late leader, who was detained under the Goondas Act over land grabbing charges, was forced to shuttle from one prison to another by the ruling AIADMK government.

"He was made to suffer by foisting false cases and detained under the Goondas Act," Karunanidhi said, adding that Arumugam was forced to shuttle between prisons in Vellore, Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli. Karunanidhi, who visited the hospital, told reporters that he was saddened to hear the news of Arumugam`s death the same day when his nephew Murasoli Maran passed away in 2003. The former minister was arrested in connection with several cases of land grabbing after the AIADMK came to power in May 2011. He was released only a month ago after a four-month-long detention. Arumugam`s detention under the Goondas Act was quashed by the Madras High Court. PTI