Shock wave in Madurai after four murders in 24 hrs

Police said, Maduraiveeran (45) of Chathira Vellalapatti, the former president of Palamedu panchayat, was allegedly murdered by an armed gang near Alanganallur on Monday in morning while he was walking to a tea stall. Sources said Maduraiveeran, a DMK functionary, during his tenure as civic chief developed an enmity with Jothimani (32) and Chinnasamy (49) of the same locality. A gang of four, including the duo, who followed Maduraiveeran on two motor bikes, suddenly stabbed him several times. Maduraiveeran, who suffered multiple injuries, succumbed on the spot. On information, Samayanallur Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohankumar along with Alanganallur Inspector of Police Selvam reached the spot and held inquiries.

In another incident, 17-year-old V Sathishkumar of Ismailpuram, Munichalai was hacked to death on Sunday night. An armed gang of five reportedly attacked Sathishkumar near the NMR bridge close to South Gate and killed him on the spot. Preliminary inquiries into the incident revealed that Sathishkumar, who worked in Tirupur, borrowed a sum of Rs 1,500 from Munu alias Surya, ahead of Diwali festival. When Surya demanded him to return the money, a quarrel erupted between them. Enraged over this, Surya along with four others, hatched a plot and murdered Sathishkumar. Based on a complaint lodged by Kanmani, mother of the deceased, police registered a case under Section -302 of IPC. A hunt is on to nab the accused, sources said.

In the third case, a 65-year-old night watchman of an automobile company, S Nithyanandham of Thuvariman, was found dead near Nagamalai Pudukottai by-pass road on Sunday night. The victim’s hands and legs were tied with tapes. His face was covered by a cloth wrapped with a tape. However, the motive behind the killing could not be detected immediately. Acting on a complaint lodged by B Karthikeyan (41) of Palanganatham, a relative of the victim, Nagamalai Pudukottai police have registered a case.

The fourth murder was that of a a 58-year-old woman, Boopathi of Seenivasa Colony in Nagamalai Pudukottai, who was reportedly killed by her son. Sources said that Boopathi was murdered as she refused to give money for buying liquor. Nagamalai Pudukottai police have filed a case.