Daylight hacking leaves two youth dead in Nagercoil

The deceased were identified as K Arjun (17) of Vandi Kudiyiruppu and T Ajith Kumar (20) of ST Kulam. The attack occurred at around 2.30 pm, and the victims succumbed to injuries moments later.

According to sources, as Arjun and Ajith were travelling on a bike, a gang of four on two bikes tailed them. At an opportune moment, they hit the bike from behind, making the youth lose balance and fall down. The gang members then hacked them discriminately, leaving them dead in a pool of blood. The gang escaped from the spot immediately, leaving one of the two-wheelers behind, sources said.

It is said that trouble erupted months ago over a game of cricket between the murdered youth and the gang that attacked them.

However, when contacted, Kanniyakumari Superintendent of Police, N Shreenath, denied that the dispute over cricket was the reason for the murder. According to him, the investigators suspected previous enmity to be the reason behind the murder.

Sources added that the victim youth were casual labourers. A couple of months ago, they had picked up quarrel with a group over some trivial issue, which led to a fight between them.

The Suchindram police have filed a case in connection with the assault. Police sources said the attackers, who are absconding, have been zeroed in and three special teams have been formed to nab them.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old boy in Coimbatore was on Sunday arrested for allegedly murdering a physically challenged man after he refused to give the accused money to consume liquor.

According to the police, the victim, Loganathan (58) from Kuniamuthur, lost one of his hands in an accident 15 years ago. Since then, he was into selling stationery in trains. He was into the habit of consuming liquor.

On Saturday night, a few passersby found Loganathan battling for life near a park at Mailkal area and informed his family members. They then rushed him to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), where he, however, succumbed without responding to treatment around midnight.

Acting on a complaint, the Kuniamuthur police retrieved images recorded in CCTV and reportedly found a teenager assaulting Loganathan with a stone. Following a search, the the boy was taken into custody and inquiries revealed that he attacked him for refusing money to consume liquor.

The boy had reportedly asked money from Loganathan, who was already drunk, to consume liquor. When he refused, the boy had tried to take money forcibly, but Loganathan pushed him away. The boy, in a fit of fury, had then picked up a stone and attacked him on his head. The police arrested the minor for murder and sent him to theobservation home.