madurai leaders of various political parties paid respects to freedom fighter veerapandi kattabomman on his 262nd birthday anniversary on sunday chief minister edappadi k palaniswami who was campaigning in tuticorin district paid a floral tribute to the portrait of the freedom fighterdravida munnetra kazhagam president m k stalin paid a floral tribute to kattabommans portrait and shared it on the social media with the message hailing him as one with a small army but a high degree of selfesteem and selfconfidence with which he fought against refused to bend to power and slavery and fought against the britishstalin recalled that the brave leader from panchalankurichi in tuticorin district embraced death by hanging for the freedom of the countryoffering his respect amma makkal munnetra kazhagam founder t t v dinakaran tweeted that kattabomman was a nightmare for the british he added that the king who refused to fear power and held his chest high in the battle field against the british should be respected for his sacrifice country foreverthe day was celebrated in a grand manner at the panchalankurichi fort in tuticorin district descendant of the freedom fighter veemaraja alias jagaveera pandiya subramania kattabomman durai garlanded the statue of his forefather at the fort prayers were offered at the veera sakka devi amman temple in the fortthe temple committee officials from the revenue and tourism department and villagers in large numbers paid tribute to the freedom fighter