CHENNAI: An AIADMK regional secretary was hacked to death in Kondalampatti, Salem, by unidentified assailants late on Wednesday, as reported by Daily Thanthi.
The incident occurred as Shanmugam, a resident of Tagore Street near Dadagapatti, was returning home from the party office on his motorcycle at around 10 PM.
He was travelling via the Dadagapatti Main Road towards Mariamman Temple Street when a gang arrived on two motorcycles and obstructed his path. The attackers then struck Shanmugam with sharp weapons, leaving him with severe head injuries. Despite efforts by locals, Shanmugam succumbed to his injuries.
His body has been transferred to the Salem Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
AIADMK members such as former ministers S Semmalai, P Vijayalakshmi Palanisamy, MLAs E Balasubramanian and M Rajamuthu, and councillors are present outside the hospital.
Shanmugam's relatives meanwhile agitated against moving Shanmugam's body from the place of murder.
As speculations of political vendetta abound, the police have launched a comprehensive investigation into the murder and the motive behind it.
Last week, D Pushpanathan (45), an AIADMK district representative and former ward councillor in Cuddalore, was chased and hacked to death by a gang with machetes.