Madurai :

The 104th death anniversary of veteran freedom fighter R Vanchinathan was observed at his birthplace Sengottai in Tirunelveli district and at Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction railway station in Tuticorin district, where he shot a British official dead before killing himself.

Vanchinathan, son of a forest officer, killed Robert William D’ Escourt Ashe, the British-government appointed Tirunelveli collector, at Maniyachchi before shooting himself dead.

“Several factors forced Vanchinathan to open fire on Ashe. Ashe took measures to curb Swadeshi movements in Tirunelveli. Besides, he ordered that Indians should not take bath in the Courtallam falls for two hours in the morning when the English were bathing,” said writer Ilasai Manian while speaking at a function held Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction.

Manian reiterated his demand for setting up a memorial at Vanchi Maniyachchi. “It is sad that the state government has not come forward to conduct the anniversary of Vanchinathan,” he said.

Tuticorin collector M Ravi garlanded Vanchi’s photo that was temporarily placed on a platform at the railway station.

Meanwhile, municipal chairman A Mohanakrishnan and commissioner P Ponnambalam garlanded Vanchi’s statue at Vanchi Manimandapam in Sengottai.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by L. Saravanan, TNN / June 17th, 2015