TV reporter murdered by land mafia in Somangalam, 4 held

Police arrested four persons, including a minor, for brutally murdering a reporter of a private television channel in front of his house near Somangalam on Sunday night. 

The deceased Moses (26) of Old Nalloor near Sriperumbudur, a reporter at the Tamilan TV, was approached by a trio on Sunday night for the contact number of someone in the locality. But suddenly they took out sickles and attacked Moses. On hearing the cries, his father and sister rushed out as well as his neighbours. The gang, shouting that same fate awaits any reporter entering Puthu Nalloor, then escaped from the spot. Though Moses was rushed to Chromepet government hospital, he was declared brought dead.

Sources said Moses’s father Jesudoss, who is also a reporter, had already filed a complaint with Somangalam police that local rowdies are threatening his son. On Monday morning, the reporters along with the friends and relatives gathered in front of the Chromepet government hospital and protested demanding the arrest of the murderers and those behind it.

Somangalam police, who had registered a case, later arrested Navamani, Vignesh, Venkatesh and a 17-year-old of Puthu Nalloor on Monday morning. Police said the group used to sell government plots lying vacant in their locality. Six months ago, Moses tried to report the same but the group threatened to kill him if it is published.

Sources said since the government officials came to know about the illegal activity recently, the gang suspected Moses’s role behind this and killed him.