CHENNAI: A 22 year old man, a history-sheeter was hacked to death by a gang at his residence in Tondiarpet on Friday night.

The deceased was identified as M Anand. He was working as an auto rickshaw driver and was living with his wife, Roja (20) at Sivaji Nagar in Tondiarpet, a few kilometers away from their parents house in Nehru nagar, police said.

On Friday night, his three-month-pregnant wife had left to a nearby shop to buy groceries when an eight-member gang barged into the house and rained blows on Anand with weapons and fled the scene.

Hearing Anand's cries, neighbours rushed to his aid and moved him to a hospital where he was declared as brought dead. R K Nagar Police secured his body and moved it to a government hospital for post mortem.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the murder was a result of previous enmity. Anand, while working as an auto driver also aided a woman who indulged in smuggling of PDS (Public Distribution System) rice to Andhra Pradesh.

Police are investigating if the woman's rivals had bumped off Anand in a bid to eliminate the rivals.

He was also a history sheeter and had several criminal cases against him. Police are also investigating if he had fallout with any other criminals.

A Special team has been formed to trace the suspects.