11 booked in Tirunelveli father-son murder case, massive manhunt underway

TIRUNELVELI: Police have booked 11 persons and launched a massive manhunt after the brutal murder of a father and son near Kallidaikurichi in Tirunelveli district, an incident believed to be the latest chapter in a two-decade-old family feud that has claimed multiple lives according to a Daily Thanthi report.

The victims, Kalimuthu (40), a farmer from Moolachi village, and his five-year-old son Jayaraj, were travelling on a motorcycle along with Kalimuthu's elder son Chinnathurai (15) on Saturday (June 27) evening when they were allegedly chased by a gang in a car and on motorcycles.

Police said the assailants rammed their vehicle near Madhudaiyarkulam, killing Jayaraj (5) on the spot. Kalimuthu was then allegedly hacked to death, while Chinnathurai sustained severe injuries and is hospitalised. The attackers also allegedly dumped Kalimuthu's severed head at another location before fleeing.

The murders stem from a long-running rivalry between two related families that began after a dispute over drawing water from a public tap in 2006. The feud has now claimed nine lives over nearly two decades, according to the police.

In this context, the Veeravanallur police have registered a murder case against 11 suspects from Moolachi village and formed nine special teams to trace the absconding accused.

Investigators are examining CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts, including the statement of the surviving teenager.

Security has been tightened in the village amid tension, while the victims' family has refused to receive the bodies until the accused are arrested.