CHENNAI: More than two years after Sridhar Dhanapal, dubbed the Dawood Ibrahim of the South, committed suicide in Cambodia, his gang members are still fighting it out for his throne.
In the most recent incident of one-upmanship on Pongal day, six persons were injured. After Sridhar’s death, the gang split into two groups. One was led by Dinesh, the driver of the don. He is backed by Thyagarajan alias Thyagu, who is now behind bars.
The other is led by Thanikachalam, Sridhar’s brother-in-law. On Wednesday morning, 12 members of Thanikachalam’s gang led by Vasanth and Arul allegedly attacked Raj, Guna, Sathya, Rajkumar, Gopi and Aakash of the other gang while they were celebrating the harvest festival with their families. Stones were hurled at Thyagu’s house at Poiyakulam, and the attackers fled with a four-sovereign gold chain and two bikes. Six rowdies were left licking their wounds, said the police.
“The injured were admitted to Kancheepuram GH. While Aakash was attacked as he was entering his house on North Mada Street, near Kannankulam, the others were waylaid near Palamedu and Manditheru. Six special teams have been formed to nab the attackers,” said a senior police officer. Kannabiran a police personnel, said while being attacked with machetes, Guna attempted to fight back. Recently, Kancheepuram police had seized around 150 gelatin sticks, 54 detonators, machetes and guns from the house of one Thulasi Raman at Damal in Kilar panchayat.
A senior police officer said a hunt was on for Sheik Kadar, a specialist in hurling bombs and Thulasi Raman. SP B Samundeeswari said, “They disrupted peace during Pongal and it will not be tolerated.”