Art director among seven held for revenge murder

The accused have been identified as Vasanth, Arumugam, Bhaskar, Rajesh, Pazhani, Kamal, Kavi and Suresh. Korattur inspector Rajkumar said that Vasanth, who works as an art director in films, organised the crime to take revenge for his cousin businessman Udayabalan’s murder in Guindy in June this year. Five among the arrested are history-sheeters, added the inspector.

Prabakaran, who was arrested for hacking Udayabalan to death at his residence in Ekkaduthangal after he developed an illicit relationship with Udaybalan’s wife Udayalekha, was out on bail recently and was staying at his brother’s house in Retteri.

Vasanth, who wanted to take revenge for his cousin’s murder, approached a history sheeter Arumugam to kill Prabakaran. Arumugam then hatched a plan along with others and lifted Prabakaran from a Tasmac bar when he was drunk. “They roamed in a car in search of better place and as suggested by Pazhani, they took him to Korattur lake. 

Prabakaran was hacked to death with four machetes and his face smashed to make it difficult for police to identify the body,” said an official. Police identified him with the help of Crime record bureau data of recently-released accused from the prison department. This led the police to the suspects, including Vasanth and others.