Lockdown fails to stop murders: Three killed in 12 hrs in city, suburbs

The first murder was reported at 10 pm in Pallikaranai in which Giridharan, a 24-year-old electrician, was hacked to death by a six-member gang. Giridharan was a resident of Periyar Nagar in Vengaivasal near Pallikaranai.

On Tuesday morning, his brother Ramesh (19) warned a group of youngsters playing videogame in the open despite the lockdown and allegedly slapped a 16-year-old. Later, the boy came to Ramesh’s house with a group, but Giridharan who was there allegedly attacked the teen again.

The boy then informed his elder brother Siva about it, following which Siva and five others went with weapons on Tuesday night.

After spotting him talking to his friend, Anandan, they attacked Giridharan, leaving him dead on the spot. Anandan also suffered injuries.

The Pallikaranai police are searching for the gang. In Mylapore, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death by eight persons, including five juveniles, for entering their street without ‘permission’.

Mani went to the next street to use the public toilet where Mani alias Pottai V Mani (27), Praveen (24) and Santhosh (24), all previous offenders, and five juveniles were standing.

They verbally abused Mani and in a quarrel that ensued, the gang stabbed Mani with knives. The Mylapore police nabbed the suspects, who were remanded in judicial custody on Wednesday evening.

A house painter was hacked to death by a bikeborne gang in Red Hills on Wednesday morning. E Balaji (24) of Nallur was walking on the 10th street of Solaiyamman Nagar when six men waiting with weapons chased and attacked him, leaving Balaji dead on the spot.

Preliminary inquiries by the Sholavaram police revealed that Balaji has cases pending in Red Hills and Sholavaram stations. Two special teams have been formed to nab the suspects.