CHENNAI: A 25-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was attacked by a gang in New Washermanpet a week ago succumbed on Monday night About eight persons were arrested in connection with the murder, police said. The deceased was identified as Vishnu (25), a resident of Indira Nagar in New Washermenpet.
Police said the attack stemmed from an earlier dispute involving his brother-in-law, Manikandan (32), who also lives in the same neighbourhood.
According to investigators, a quarrel broke out between Manikandan and a rival group during a temple festival a few days ago. Tensions simmered between the two groups and one of the suspects confronted Manikandan. Vishnu intervened and both parties filed police complaints against each other.
On May 27, Vishnu was walking back home when a gang intercepted him and attacked him with weapons and fled the scene. Vishnu was moved to a hospital for treatment, where he died on Monday.
New Washermanpet police who had earlier arrested 8 suspects – Naren alias Naresh Kumar, Naveen, Sukumar, Kalisha and Prasad and three others – on attempt-to-murder charges altered it to murder. They were produced before a magistrate court and remanded to judicial custody.