CHENNAI: A 24-year-old man was found dead with external injuries on his body near the Cooum river in Chetpet on Saturday morning. Police suspect that he was murdered and have launched a search for the suspects.

The deceased was identified as Sainath Srinivasan, 24, a resident of Choolaimedu and a native of Kerala. CCTV footage from a showroom near his house showed him leaving around 12.10 am on Friday with a friend, but he did not return home. Sainath was living with friends in GKM Colony, Villivakkam, while his parents stayed in Choolaimedu.

On Saturday morning, a conservancy worker noticed his body and alerted the authorities. A police team from Chetpet police station retrieved the body and sent it to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for a postmortem.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that Sainath was a history sheeter and had several cases against him, including murder. Preliminary investigations have suggested that the murder was a result of a gang rivalry. Probe revealed that there was an attempt on his life in 2024, too.