CHENNAI: Two days after a panchayat president was hacked to death by an eight-member gang, the police on Saturday arrested 10 people. Investigations revealed that the gang murdered Venkatesan due to previous enmity.
Those arrested have been identified as M Mohammed Yacob (35), R Praveen Kumar (24), V Manimaran (25), M Mohammed Riyaz (32), M Mohammed Imran (21), M Riyazuddin (25), M Mohammed Sadaam Hussain (24), M Mohammed Anifa (23), Mohammed Basha (21), and V Mohanraj (24).
After a preliminary investigation, police said two of Yacob’s cousins were murdered by a gang in Guduvanchery two years ago. “Yacob’s family runs a ganja-peddling network and kangaroo courts, and offers hitman services. Two years ago Venkatesan and another rowdy devised a plan to kill Yacob’s cousins. He tipped off the police about their criminal activity while the other rowdy eliminated them when they went into hiding,” said a senior police officer.
Yacob and gang attempted to murder Venkatesan two years ago but in vain. On Thursday night, when Venkatesan was with two other ward council members, the gang chased and hacked him to death. All the accused have been arrested and remanded in judicial custody.