CHENNAI: In an audacious attack, a gang of men hurled country bombs, and chased and hacked the vice chairman of Kattankulathur Panchayat Union in full public view on Thursday. The attack, the latest in a series of such murders in the southern region of the capital city, happened on Vandalur flyover sending other motorists scurrying for cover in fear.

Aramudhan (60) of Vandalur, the DMK’s Kattankulathur union secretary, had earlier served as the president of Vandalur village panchayat three times, and was serving as the vice president of Kattankulathur Panchayat Union.

A bus stop was erected on the Vandalur-Walajabad road and the party functionaries were planning to inaugurate it on Friday to coincide with the birthday of party chief and Chief Minister MK Stalin.

Around 7 pm, he was on the way in his car to inspect the preparations ahead of the bus stop opening. When his vehicle was on Vandalur flyover, a group of men on three two-wheelers intercepted it and hurled country bombs.

Realising that his life was in danger, Aramudhan immediately got down from the vehicle and tried to escape from the spot on foot. But the gang chased him and hacked him repeatedly. Such was the brutality of the attack that his left hand was severed and he sustained grievous injuries on his head and face. The assailants then escaped from there, leaving the onlookers in terror.

Some of the members of the public rushed Aramudhan to a private hospital nearby, from where he was referred to the Chromepet GH. But the doctors there declared him dead on arrival. The Vandalur Otteri police have registered a case and the search is on to nab the murderers. The police have deployed additional personnel at Vandalur, Otteri and Manimangalam areas to prevent any untoward incidents.

On October 22, 2023, the 29-year-old son of a woman panchayat president was murdered similarly by first hurling country bombs to trigger panic and then hacking him to death. In November 2022, the president of Madambakkam panchayat was killed in the exact same manner.