Lord Ram, who is at the centre of a controversy over the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project, appears to have come to the rescue of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president M Krishnaswamy, when an armed gang stabbed him with a spade on Monday night.

"It is Lord Ram, who saved our leader," a party functionary, who accompanied Krishnaswamy in his car on way to Mudukulathur to attend a function, said.

The functionary told UNI that Krishnaswamy was wearing a pendant with a portrait of Lord Ram and the assailants stabbed him below the chest.

The pendant bore the brunt. But for the pendant with a picture of Lord Ram, the stab would have been fatal for the Congress leader, he added.

Talking to newspersons after examining the Congress leader, Dr Jagadeesa Pandyian, senior surgeon of Apollo Hospitals [Get Quote], where Krishnaswamy is admitted, said his condition was "stable."

"He suffered deep injuries in the abdomen. An emergency operation will be performed," he added.

A senior police official said Krishnaswamy and his supporters were on their way to Muthukulathur from Paramakudi to attend a function, when their car was waylaid by a gang at a deserted area at Keezha Kannicherry at 2025 hours.

The gang in the age group of 25 to 35 years, armed with sickles and spades, pelted stones at the vehicle and surrounded it.

When the Congress men pleaded with them that the TNCC president was inside the car, they attacked the occupants indiscriminately.

Krishnaswamy suffered stab injuries in his stomach. All occupants of the car were injured in the attack. He was admitted to Paramakudy Government Hospital and later shifted to the Apollo Hospital.

Police suspect the attack on Krishnaswamy is a "a case of mistaken identity." A massive manhunt was underway to nab the gang members.

Meanwhile, Dravida Vizhi Punarchi Kazhagam founder president B T Kumar told reporters that he (Kumar himself) was the target of the gang. "I escaped unhurt as I was travelling in another car," Kumar added.

"A community had targeted me. The attack was not aimed at Krishnaswamy," he added.