By Express News Service

TIRUCHY: Police claimed breakthrough in the probe into the murder of a BJP functionary who was killed two days ago. Sources said a special team traced the whereabouts of Mittai Babu, the main suspect in the case, to Chennai. He is likely to be produced before a court in Tiruchy on Thursday morning.

Earlier in the day, vice-chairman National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) L Murugan conducted an enquiry with the family members of Vijayaraghu.

District Collector S Sivarasu and Commissioner of Police, Tiruchy City V Varadharaju were present. The collector handed over a cheque for Rs 4,12,500 to the family as per norms of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Speaking to reporters outside Vijayraghu’s house in Varaganeri, Murugan said Vijayaraghu had been taking part in pro-CAA campaigns. Also, he claimed that one of the suspects was luring the Vijayaraghu’s daughter in ‘Love Jihad’ for the past two years. The family had lodged a complaint about it, he added.

National secretary of the BJP H Raja also called on the family. He urged the police to conduct fair investigations. “Even in the murder of Sasikumar (in Coimbatore) police said the motive was personal. But it proved to be different. Police should conduct the investigation in a fair and transparent manner,” he said.

Senior BJP leader criticized Central Zone IG A Amalraj, who issued a statement that the murder did not have a religious motive. “The IG should be inquired for his statement. The name of the accused is Mohammed Babu, but is cited as Mittai Babu in records,” he said. He handed over `50,000 to the family on behalf of the BJP.

Vijayaraghu (38) was killed by a three-man gang on Monday morning. The issue become sensitive, after the BJP alleged it to be an act of religious hatred.

Vijayraghu’s sister, Usha Rani and his daughter, Gayathri however made it clear that the murder was due to a personal enmity between Vijayaraghu and Babu over a cell-phone theft.