TIRUCHY: Three persons were arrested for murdering a flower vendor in Pattukkottai on Saturday. The accused, S Veeramani (31), R Karthik (32) and S Suresh (27), had previous enmity with the victim, police said.

The vendor, V Raja (45) from Keezhapalayam, was returning after purchasing flowers from a wholesale merchant when he saw the accused.

During the talk, an argument broke out between Raja and Karthik and the latter took a sharp weapon and attacked Raja with the support of Veeramani.

Raja fell down unconscious after sustaining severe head injury while Karthik, Veeramani and Suresh escaped from the spot.

The passers-by, who witnessed the incident, informed the information the police who rushed to the spot and rescued Raja and sent him to the Pattukkottai GH. However, the doctors declared him dead.

The Pattukkottai Town police registered a case and arrested Suresh and later, based on the information given by Suresh, they arrested Karthik and Veeramani.

The initial information by the police found that there was a previous enmity between Raja and Karthik. Further investigations are on.