Chennai: Minor among 4 held in Tiruttani murder case

CHENNAI: A minor is among four people arrested in connection with the murder of 46-year-old cinema theatre employee Yuvaraj alias Raja in Tiruttani, with police alleging that the killing was carried out to avenge the arrest of one of the accused in an earlier assault case involving Raja's 17-year-old daughter.

Police arrested Raja's alleged killers from a private lodge in Sunguvarchatram in Kancheepuram district on the night before last, after forming five special teams under the supervision of the additional superintendent of police.

The arrested persons were identified as Susil (27), younger brother of Lawrence (31), who was arrested in the earlier case; his friends Bhuvanesh (20), of Pallur village in Arakkonam taluk, Harish (19), of Nagalamman Nagar; and a 17-year-old boy.

According to police, Susil allegedly plotted Raja's murder with the three others to avenge Lawrence's arrest. Susil allegedly sustained a leg fracture while trying to escape from the police and was later admitted to Tiruttani Hospital.

Police seized three machetes and country-made bombs from the four suspects and are conducting further investigations.

Raja, a resident of Periyar Nagar in Tiruttani, was hacked to death at his house on Sunday evening by three masked men who arrived on motorcycles. The murder had been reported earlier.

Police said the arrests were linked to an earlier case involving Raja's 17-year-old daughter, a Class 12 student at a government school.

Based on a complaint lodged by the girl's mother, Durga, Tiruttani police registered a case against the four and arrested Lawrence last Sunday.

Police have alleged that Susil and the three others subsequently planned Raja's murder to avenge Lawrence's arrest.