VELLORE: First Additional District and Sessions Court in Sathuvacheri sentenced two youths to life-imprisonment on Thursday for murdering their friend in April 2008.
Ragavan (35), a resident of Avadi in Chennai was murdered by Meganathan (31), a resident of Beemanathapuram and Stephen(30), a resident of Avadi, seven years ago as a result of lingering enmity between Ragavan and Meganathan. The enmity between Ragavan and Meganathan began when in a booze party in Chennai they got into an argument. Angered, Ragavan with the help of nine other friends beat Meganathan up.
On 11th April 2008, Meganathan spotted Ragavan in Chennai. He sought the help of their mutual friend Stephen who agreed to Meganathan’s plan to eliminate Ragavan.
The trio had a booze party in Chennai on April 11th 2008 and returned to Vellore in Meganathan’s car. When they reached Vellore, Ragavan unsuspecting of the intention of the other two, drank alcohol in excess and slept in the back of the car.
It was then that Meganathan and Stephen stabbed him to death inflicting multiple injuries in his head.
The duo left the body at the Iraivankadu burial ground near Kazhanipakkam in Pallikonda. Meganathan asked Stephen to hideout in Kerala and he himself left for Hosur to continue plying his taxi.
On 31st May 2008, Meganthan returned to Pallikonda and surrendered before the Village Administrative Officer Gopal in Kazhanipakkam sensing that he would be caught. Based on the information by Meganathan, police arrested Stephen in Kerala.
The police registered the case under section 364 (kidnapping) and 302 (murder) of IPC in Pallikonda.