Muslims have been accused of setting fire to the timbre shop of a VHP functionary. The VHP functionary had opened a new office in the newly formed Tenkasi district in Tamil Nadu. He also inaugurated the Tenkasi wing of Hindu Traders Welfare Association recently which is said to have rattled the Islamists.

Azhagu Muthukrishnan the Tenkasi district secretary of VHP is into timbre business with his uncle as a partner. He had taken efforts to open the new district office in a grand manner which is said to have irked the Islamists in Tenkasi. He also inaugurated the Hindu Traders association, an initiative by Hindu Munnani to protect Hindu merchants. 

Muslims live in large numbers in some parts of Tenkasi. There are allegations that the traders unions are dominated by them and they don’t help Hindu merchants when they face issues. Hindu Munnani had launched Hindu Traders Welfare Association earlier in an attempt to unite Hindu merchants and solve their problems. The organisation has been actively campaigning to Hindus to buy only from Hindu shops to prevent non-Hindus from monopolising business.

As Hindu traders of Tenkasi face trouble due to no representation in the traders union, Azhagu Muthukrishnan inaugurated the Hindu Trader Welfare wing in Tenkasi recently. This also is said to have irked the Islamists. In the wee hours of October 27, the watchman of the timbre shop noticed a fire in the backside of the godown. He immediately called for the fire service. Despite their best attempts it took 5 hours for the 3 fire engines to douse the fire.

Timbre worth Rs 1 crore is said to have been reduced to ashes in the fire. Aggrieved Muthu Krishnan has filed a complaint with police and requested for compensation from the district collector. Tenkasi is a communally charged area where Muslims dominate trades in some parts of the newly carved district. Last year Vadakarai village in Tenkasi was in news when the local jamaat levied jizya on vehicles. The tax was collected from those who entered the village and even the poor small-time vendors carrying produce on their heads were not spared. The village has 75% of Muslims out of its total population.