Tirupur still tense, one murderer held

COIMBATORE: Even as one of the accused in the horrific Palladam murder was arrested by Tirupur police on Monday, the district was simmering with anger.

One of the accused Chellamuthu from the three-member gang, which hacked to death four members of a family, was arrested amid protests that erupted against the murder.

A large number of BJP and Hindu Munnani cadres resorted to a road block protest in front of Palladam Government Hospital demanding speedy arrest of culprits.

The family members of Senthil Kumar (47) from Kallakinaru in Palladam, his cousin Mohanraj (45), aunt Pushpavathi (68) and another relative Rathinammal (58) who were killed in the attack on Sunday night initially refused to receive the bodies after post-mortem was done and demanded immediate arrest of the accused.

Special teams of police formed to track down the accused were able to nab Chellamuthu (24) a native of Trichy, while a search is on for his two other accomplices Venkatesh alias Selvam (27) from Ariyanayagipuram in Tirunelveli and Muthaiya (22) from Uthamapalayam in Theni are still absconding till the time the news went for print.

Senthil Kumar was into selling cattle fodder business while Mohanraj is a local BJP functionary. Police said the prime accused Venkatesh is facing multiple charges of attempt to murder in his native Tirunelveli district.

The accused persons unleashed an unexpected attack with sickle and other weapons on Senthil Kumar and didn’t spare his four members of his family who came for his rescue.

Senthil Kumar was allegedly killed over an altercation when the victim objected to the trio for consuming alcohol in their neighbourhood.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that Venkatesh, who worked as a driver for a load van owned by Senthil Kumar, nursed an enmity with him after he sacked him within two months of joining the job. Police said Venkatesh had some grouse with Mohanraj too.

Police said other family members of the deceased managed to escape from the murderous gang, who sliced through the victims, by locking themselves inside the house.

As the shocking murder triggered tension in the locality, West Zone IG K Bhavaneeswari visited the scene of crime and held inquiries.

More than 500 cops led by the Superintendents of Police from Tirupur, Coimbatore, Erode and Namakkal are camping in Palladam to prevent any further untoward incident.

Five special teams have been formed to nab the remaining assailants on the run. Minister for Information and Publicity MP Saminathan, District Collector T Christuraj, AIADMK legislative members MSM Anandan and K Radhakrishnan visited the hospital and consoled the bereaving family members.