Gang hacks AMMK town secretary to death

The deceased, Balamurugan, a resident of Thenpakkam near Acharapakam, was running a tea shop in the market area. He was the town secretary of AMMK, the outfit that Dhinakaran launched after being removed from the ruling AIADMK.

Earlier in the morning, Balamurugan left his house on his two-wheeler to open the tea shop. Around 4.30 am, when he was near the shop along with three other workers, a six-member gang arrived on two bikes. The gang took out machetes and began hacking him. While Balamurugan tried to escape, the gang chased him and hacked him repeatedly. After confirming he was dead, the killers fled the spot.

Police retrieved the body and sent it for autopsy to the Chengalpattu Government Hospital.

Police, after preliminary investigation, claimed that no political parties were involved in the murder.

Police suspect that Balamurugan was murdered over rivalry in organising Aadi festival at a temple. “He had some tiff in organising the Aadi festival at a temple. We probing whether the opposite group is behind the murder,” police said. Balamurugan is survived by his wife Bhavani (34) and two daughters. Police have registered a case and trying to identify the murderers.

A 44-year-old labour contractor was hacked to death by a seve member gang outside the stage II unit of the North Chennai Thermal Power Station in Athipattu on Monday.

The deceased was identified as James of Ennore, who was a labour contractor of the thermal power station. On Monday morning, James reached the power station along with three friends in a car. When they came out of stage II unit, another car coming in the opposite direction blocked their way.

Suddenly, seven people got down from the vehicle, dragged James out of his car and hacked him multiple times.

While James’ shocked friends fled the spot, he died on the spot. The gang immediately escaped in the car. On information, Minjur police rushed to the spot and sent his body to Stanley Medical College Hospital for autopsy. After preliminary inquiry, police suspect that he could have been murdered due over previous enmity with another contractor of the power station. Further inquiry is on.