A year after fruit vendor's murder at Saidapet railway station; gangs clash again

CHENNAI: Almost a year after he was arrested for the murder of a fruit vendor at Saidapet railway station, a 24-year-old man is again under the police scanner for an attack on the murder victim's associates near Mambalam railway station on Sunday night.

On July 19 last year, Rajeshwari (30), a snack vendor was fatally attacked by a gang at Saidapet railway station. She died the next day.

Police arrested five persons V Sakthivel (23) of Meenambakkam, M Nagavalli (23) of Thirunindravur, S Jegadeesh (23) of Ullagaram-Puzhuthivakkam, Y Johnson (19) of Zamin Pallavaram and R Surya (19) of Minjur.

All the accused persons, like the victim, are snack vendors on local trains, police said.

Rajeshwari had allegedly warned Sakthivel of police action after she witnessed him and his gang attacking a man.

Further, there was already bad blood between Sakthivel and Rajeshwari as the former was in an alleged extra marital relationship with the victim's sister, Nagavalli.

Nagavalli is married to another man and has two children.

Sakthivel who had come out on bail in the murder case was at the Saidapet railway station along with his associate when Rajeshwari's friends, Parthiban and Aravinth picked up an argument with Sakthivel.

In response, Sakthivel pulled out a knife and attacked both of them and got on to a train.

Parthiban and Aravinth followed Sakthivel to Mambalam railway station where Sakthivel attacked them again and fled the scene.

Parthiban and Aravinth got admitted to a hospital after which Ashok Nagar Police registered a case.

Police sources said that two persons have been detained in connection with the recent attack.