Key accused in Thoothukudi lawyer murder case arrested

MADURAI: A special team of Thoothukudi police arrested a key accused, who remained absconding, in the brutal murder of a lawyer last month. The arrest was made on Saturday night and the accused has been identified as P Baskar (29) of Arumuganeri, Thoothukudi district. The ill-fated lawyer PK Muthukumar (48) was murdered by an armed gang at Sorispuram in Thoothukudi on February 22. Already five men, who are facing a series of criminal charges and cases booked against them, surrendered before court in connection with the murder of the lawyer. Two others including Namonarayanan (33) of Kootampuli and Lakshmanaperumal of Korampallam were arrested behind the murder. Further investigations revealed that the key accused Baskar hired killers from Mumbai and finished off the lawyer owing to previous enmity. As many as 21 cases concerning various crime are pending against Baskar, against whom the Arumuganeri police maintain a history-sheet.