The accused in the present case were identified as Sivanandham (25), Dineshkumar (20), Diwakar (24) and Salman (23). On June 5, these five, along with 20 others, had celebrated their friend’s birthday at Ezhil Nagar in Perumbakkam. The guests came from different parts of the city and have several cases pending against them in various police stations, officials said.

Sources said it was the friends of those arrested in connection with the June 19 celebration who tipped off the police about the birthday party on June 5 that was organised by the rival gang. Following this, the police arrested the four suspects and have launched a hunt for the other suspects.

Despite lockdown being in force, history-sheeters gathering in large numbers for birthday parties and wielding machetes in public places right under the nose of local police have left the residents of Perumbakkam shocked.

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