CHENNAI: In what is believed to be an act of revenge, a Goondas Act detenu at Puzhal Central prison was allegedly murdered by a gang of five prisoners on Wednesday. Police said ‘Boxer’ Murali, 41, was in the rest room at around 9 am when the gang assaulted him.
“They used a broken aluminum plate to slit his throat and also chopped off his genitals,” police said. After other inmates alerted prison staff, Murali was taken to the Government Stanley Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Police sources said one Saranraj led the gang that killed Murali.
Murali, a resident of Vyasarpadi, was a close aide of gangster Kakathope Balaji. He was living with his wife and two children before being arrested in 2015. “He had 16 cases, including three murder cases and an attempt to murder case, pending against him. He was detained under the Goondas Act recently. He was also a suspect in the murder of V Babloo, a notorious rowdy,” said a police officer.
“Recently, a clash broke out between Murali and another gangster, Nagendran, who was serving life term in Puzhal. The latter is undergoing treatment at a private city hospital. The five men, who killed Murali and were identified as Saranraj, Karthik, Ramesh, Joel and Pradeep, are associates of Nagendran,” added the officer. On Tuesday night, a clash reportedly broke out between Murali and the five men.
At the hospital, Murali’s family staged a protest seeking action against the gang and refused to accept the body. “Even when he was on bail, he would be involved in some fight. We thought he would reform and would be safe in prison. But it is shocking that despite so much protection, they managed to kill him,” said a relative of the deceased.
Recent clash in jail
Police said the deceased had 16 cases, including three murder cases and an attempt to murder case, pending against him. He was detained under the Goondas Act recently. He was also a suspect in the murder of V Babloo, a notorious rowdy. Recently, a clash broke out between Murali and another gangster, Nagendran, who was serving life term in Puzhal. The latter is undergoing treatment at a private city hospital. The five men, who killed Murali are associates of Nagendran