History-sheeter hacked near Salem police station in suspected murder for revenge

COIMBATORE: In a suspected case of murder for revenge, a 28-year-old history-sheeter was hacked to death by a gang in full public view near a police station in Salem on Tuesday.

The deceased, M Madhan Kumar, from Periyar Street in Thoothukudi, was seated in a hotel along with his wife Monisha, when three persons surrounded and hacked him around 10.15 am.

The shell-shocked onlookers and staff of the hotel rushed out to safety on seeing the cold-blooded murder.

According to the police, Madhan was earlier arrested by the Thoothukudi police for murdering S Maradona (30), of Lourdammalpuram, who was working as a crew member in a ship, following an altercation on 24 April.

Against such a backdrop, on Tuesday morning, Madhan visited the Hasthampatti police station to sign as part of his bail conditions. He came down to Salem on July 10 and stayed in a lodge along with his wife to visit the police station twice, in the morning and evening, to sign.

“After signing at the police station around 10 am, he visited a hotel nearby, when three members of a five-member gang entered the hotel and hacked him to death right in front of his wife. As two others waited outside in their two-wheelers, the members of the gang then sped away from the spot,” police said.

On receiving information, the police rushed to the spot and sent Madhan’s body for a post-mortem examination at Salem Government Kumaramangalam Medical College and Hospital.

Police said the assailants severed the right hand of Madhan, similarly to that of Maradona’s murder. Police said Madhan was also involved in another murder in 2019.

A case has been registered, and four special teams have been formed to nab the culprits.