Slain gangster’s aides retaliate, ransack murder suspect’s house

A day after a six-member gang of masked men hacked a history-sheeter to death at Padi Pudhu Nagar, a group of nearly 25 men, believed to be the associates of the slain man, ransacked the house of one of the suspects on Tuesday night.

Police sources said the group ransacked the house of a person identified as Mohan, and damaged the household articles, including TV, refrigerator and furniture.

JJ Nagar Police said that they have detained as many as 22 men – believed to be the associates of Azhagu Murugan who was killed on Monday – in connection with the incident that spread panic in the area on Tuesday night. Additional police personnel have been deployed to prevent any further escalation of tension in the area.

On Monday morning, Azhagu Murugan, a 27-year-old history-sheeter of JJ Nagar, and his friend Purushothaman were going on a bike to a mechanic shop in the neighbourhood. As they were proceeding, a gang of six men, all wearing masks, intercepted them at Padi Pudhu Nagar.

On spotting the gang, Azhagu tried to escape from the spot but the gang chased and hacked him to death on 11th Street of Padi Pudhu Nagar. Alarmed by the daylight murder, the residents alerted the JJ Nagar police, who rushed to the spot. By then, Azhagu had already died. His body was sent to Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination. A case was registered and CCTV camera footage retrieved the area is being combed.

Within hours of the daring attack, Police managed to arrest Mohan and four of his associates in connection with the murder.

Police said they suspect Azhagu could have been murdered as a revenge for the killing of a man named Sivalingam in 2014. The man was murdered by a gang, including Azhagu, during a funeral procession, said police. Azhagu is the main accused in the case. Sources said the gang led by Mohan attacked Azhagu over this previous enmity.

Both belong to rival gangs that have been fighting with each other to gain supremacy in the area. Tuesday night’s violence is seen as a show of strength by the rival group. According to sources, such is the control that the two gangs exert over the area that even recruitment of youth from the neighbourhood as deliver service executives could be done only with the blessing of either of the two gangs.