TIRUCHY: A history-sheeter was hacked to death by a four-member gang at Vadavaru in Thanjavur district late on Wednesday night.

Sources said that C Arivalagan (35), a fish vendor of Karanthai in Thanjavur, against whom several cases, including murder and waylaying, were pending in various police stations across the district.

On Wednesday night, when Arivalagan along with his friends was consuming liquor near Vadavaru, a gang came to the spot and attacked Arivalagan with lethal weapons and escaped. Arivalagan succumbed on the spot to injuries sustained in the attack.

On information, Karanthai police rushed to the spot, retrieved the body and sent it to the GH. Initial investigations by police, revealed that there was previous enmity between Arivalagan and A Diwakar (30) also from Karanthai. On Wednesday, both Arivalagan and Diwakar had appeared before the Thanjavur court in connection with hearings in two separate cases.

After coming out of the court, the duo entered into a fight and policemen present at the spot pacified them.

Later in the night, Arivalagan was consuming alcohol with his friends Mahendran, Suresh and Anand. Diwakar, who came to the spot along with a few of his associates, persons, attacked Arivalagan and killed him on the spot.

Police have registered a case against Diwakar, his friends, Kanthavel, Selvakumar and Bharat, and have launched a manhunt for the quartet.