Tha. Kiruttinan

Shri Pasumpon Tha Kiruttinan was born at village Kombukkaranendal, Tamil Nadu in 1937.^[1][2]

Shri Kiruttinan had his education at Raja Dorai Singam Memorial College, Sivaganga and Pachaiyappa’s College, Chennai. An Agricultural by vocation, Shri Kiruttinan was an active social and political worker. He started social work as the Secretary of Red Cross Society at his native village. Shri Kiruttinan took keen interest in serving the poor, villagers, illiterates and people belonging to the lowest strata of society, including Harijans and those belonging to backward classes. Shri Kiruttinan was arrested several times in connection with various agitations in favour of the people of Tamil Nadu.

He was Chairman of the Panchayat Union, Manamadurai from 1970 to 1976 and President of the Village Panchayat, Theethanpettai from 1970 to 1976. Shri Pasumpon Tha Kiruttinan, started his distinguished legislative career with the membership of the Fourth Lok Sabha. He was re-elected to the Fifth Lok Sabha from Sivaganga (Lok Sabha constituency). Shri Kiruttinan represented the State of Tamil Nadu in this House from March, 1989 to April, 1990 and again from April, 1990 to April, 1996. Thereafter, he was elected from Sivaganga (State Assembly Constituency) to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in the year 1996 and remained a Member of that House till 2001. Shri Kiruttinan also served as the Minister of State Highways and Ports in the Government of Tamil Nadu from 1998 to 2001. A widely travelled person, Shri Kiruttinan was member of the Delegation to U.N.O. in the year 1990. He was also a member of the Parliamentary Delegation to the West Germany in the year 1972.

Shri Pasumpon Tha Kiruttinan, was murdered on 20 May 2003. T. Kiruttinan was the Minister for Highways Department in the M. Karunanidhi Cabinet (1996-2001). He was hacked to death near his K.K. Nagar residence here on 20 May 2003, while returning from an early morning walk.

The next day, the Anna Nagar police arrested Mr. Alagiri on charges of conspiracy in the murder due to intra-party rivalry.

Among the other accused are P.M. Mannan (who later became the Deputy Mayor of Madurai city), Essar Gobi, I. Mubaraq Manthiri (sitting councillor of Madurai Corporation) and V. Sivakumar alias ‘Karate’ Siva.

Mr. Alagiri, cited as prime accused in the case, and others were charged under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code for criminal conspiracy, murder and abetment to commit the offence.

After the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam came to power in Tamil Nadu in 2006, the case was transferred to Chittoor after the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam sought the Supreme Court’s intervention.

The AIADMK contended that justice might not be done and fair play could be denied if the trial of the case was conducted in a court in Tamil Nadu, as Mr. Alagiri’s father, M. Karunanidhi, was then the Chief Minister and sought the transfer of case to some other State.

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References

• Obituary