How Tamil Nadu stayed peaceful after Jayalalithaa passed away Satara tense after man says he killed lover from different caste

J Jayalalithaa’s legions of devotees had immolated themselves in her defence in the past but when their beloved Amma died on Monday night, they were strangely calm and disciplined in mourning.

Her party, the AIADMK, said late on Wednesday that 77 people died of shock across Tamil Nadu following news that their resilient Amma couldn’t pull through after a cardiac arrest. It promised to pay `300,000 each to the families of the deceased. Official reports put the death toll at nine till evening.

But whatever the number, it could have been a nightmare had Amma’s supporters behaved the waytheydidwhenshewasarrested in 2014 after a Bangalore trial court convicted her of corruption in a disproportionateassetscase.About244 people died of shock or committed suicide then, while mobs ran riot.

“Police prepared very well … did barricading for crowd control, which was effective. They factored in every aspect of the situation, drawing from past experience and placed policemen and rapid action force (RAF) units wherever needed,” said R Natraj, an AIADMK legislator and a former director general of police.

Barring frayed tempers and minor scuffles, the state and its capital, Chennai, remained peaceful. Thousands of mourners filed into the landmark Marina beach for a final salute at the grave of the 68-year-old former chief minister and matinee idol.

An angry mob attacked a few houses in a village in Satara district after a married woman was murdered allegedly by a youth from a different caste.

Heavy security has been deployed in Chinchner Vandan village, along with a few surrounding villages.

Satara superintendent of police Sandip Patil said the situation was under control and asked people not to believe any rumours. He has warned of strict action against those spreading rumours on social media.

The mob was allegedly incited after 21-year-old Aruna Mohite was found murdered.

The police claim her former boyfriend Siddhaarth Danane confessed to killing her. He allegedly told the police he was angry with Mohite because she married someone else.

The police said the couple had wanted to get married, but their families were against the union because they both belonged to different castes.

Mohite’s family then married her off to a man from Baramati in October this year, the police said. The two had been in contact with each other on the mobile phone even after Aruna got married, the police said.

On November 30, the police said Mohite left her house in Baramati for Satara and told her family she was going to meet a friend.