CHENNAI: An eight-member gang attacked a woman advocate and her son on Blackers Road on Thursday evening. In retaliation, the son hurled a country bomb at his pursuers to escape from them.
Police said S Malarkodi (50) of Triplicane was an advocate at Egmore court and wife of one Sekar, a history-sheeter, who was murdered a decade ago by his rival Veeramani.
“On Thursday around 1 pm, she appeared before the court for a case along with her son Azhaguraja and was returning home. They were accompanied by Manikandan and Vijayakumar. Around 2 pm, when the four were in an autorickshaw on Blackers Road near Anna Salai, the gang on motorcycles came on the wrong side, blocked the autorickshaw and attacked them,” said an investigation officer.
The gang attacked Azhaguraja in the head and shoulder and Malarkodi’s hand when she tried to stop the assailants. Eyewitnesses said Azhaguraja started running and hurled a country bomb at the gang that was chasing him.
“In the blast, a few pieces hit Malarkodi and Azhaguraja as well. Two motorists also sustained minor injuries and were sent to Royapettah Government hospital for treatment,” the police officer said.
Soon after the incident, panic-stricken people started running in different directions.“I saw a gang chasing a man. He had a bag in hand and within moments he threw the bomb. The area was full of smoke. While everyone started running in different directions, the gang that chased him also took to its heels,” said Govindan, in a nearby shop.Chintadripet police marked the blast area.
Meanwhile, Malarkodi and Azhaguraja were rushed to Royapettah Government hospital. Police said they had detained Manikandan (19) and Vijayakumar (30) who accompanied her.
“While the gang was trying to escape, one Appu and Sheik ran towards Anna Salai and were caught by traffic police personnel there. The personnel saw them running with machetes and nabbed them,” said a police officer.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the attack was to wreak vengeance for the murder of one Abbas at Ice House on October 22 last year.
Police said Appu and Sheik belong to Abbas gang. Azhaguraja and Malarkodi had been named as suspects in the case. The gang had waited a year to murder Azhaguraja the same month Abbas was killed, police said.