Nearly two days after a TN based journalist was brutally attacked by the unidentified miscreants, the police department in Sivakasi, Virudhunagar district has on Thursday arrested an ADMK party man and his friend who were behind the attack against the journalist that was strongly condemned by the Madras Reporters Guild.

On the night hours of Tuesday, M Karthik, a journalist in Sivakasi who is working with Kumudam Reporter magazine was attacked with a machete and assaulted by the assailants. He stumbled to the injuries and was admitted to a private hospital in Sivakasi where he has been receiving treatment. After having been attacked, Karthik filed a complaint with the Sivakasi town police.

With accord to his complaint, the police have filed an FIR against the two miscreants under sections 341 - punishment for wrongful restraint, 307 - the attempt of murder, and 294 (b) - sings, recites or utters any obscene words in or near the public place. The probe was launched and on Thursday, the police arrested 40-year-old Pandiarajan alias Sellapandi, the ADMK functionary and his friend, 43-year-old Murugan alias Poomurugan. According to the reports, Sellapandi has seven pending cases under his records while Murugan has eleven cases against him.

The reports have stated that Sellapandi is ADMK functionary and he has a similar kind of case registered against him. In 2017, Poomurugan was accused of involving in the murder of Netrikan reporter in Sattur, Virudhunagar. However, the case has been pending. Earlier, the Madras Reporters' Body has demanded the state government of Tamil Nadu to detain the miscreants. In the statement that was issued by President of the 'Madras Reporters Guild' Rangaraj, the body called on the Tamil Nadu government and the police department to probe the brutal attack. It also urged the state government to make sure that the journalists and reporters in the state have the freedom to function.

The Guild stated that Karthik's recent coverage was the reason behind this brutal attack. His recent report was titled 'Will Rajavarman defeat Rajendra Balaji'? and his report exhumed the contradictions and within the party fight that persists between ADMK Minister Rajendra Balaji and Rajavarman, who is sitting ADMK MLA of Sattur constituency in Virudhunagar. Karthik's report was published in the latest Kumudam edition.

Also read: A TN based journalist was severely attacked in Sivakasi - Is this the reason?