In a fresh incident of violence in the district, five pilgrims sustained minor injuries on Tuesday when a mob hurled a petrol bomb at their bus in Pattnamkathan.
Police said 50 people from Poosaripatti in Tiruchirappalli were returning after visiting Kanyakumari, Tiruchendur and Rameswaram when the bus was attacked.
The injured were given treatment and discharged. The bus was also damaged in the attack.
No FIR has been filed though a massive manhunt had been launched to nab the miscreants, they said. Cases were registered against 51 people on Tuesday for allegedly poisoning a drinking water well at Pacheri where a dalit boy was murdered on September nine for reportedly having an illicit relationship with a local girl. A lab analysis of the water proved the well had been poisoned, they said.
Meanwhile, an 18-year-old boy was charred to death as fire engulfed a shop at Ervadi last night. Police said it could be an accident as the shop owner was selling petrol.
On Sunday, seven people were killed in Paramakudi when police fired on rampaging crowds, mostly Dalits which set ablaze vehicles and blocked traffic following the arrest of their leader John Pandian at Vallanadu in Tuticorin district.