THOOTHUKUDI: A 32-year-old AIADMK functionary from Arasur Poochikadu near Sathankulam was beaten to death on Monday. The Thattarmadam police registered a case and on Tuesday arrested the suspect, who had allegedly killed him over a temple administration row.
The deceased, Maharajan (32), was the party's youth wing secretary of the Sathankulam union and owned a milk farm in the village. Sources said that when Maharajan was heading to procure milk from his suppliers on Monday evening, the suspect, K Kandasamy (30), waylaid him at Mettuvilai and allegedly beat him to death using a steel rod. The bystanders in the area rushed him to a private hospital in Thisayanvilai, where he was declared dead on arrival, said sources.
A couple of days ago in a temple committee meeting, Kandasamy and Maharajan reportedly had a dispute over a row in administering the Santhanamari Amman temple, for which Maharajan's father is now the Dharmakartha. Sources said that the temple, five years ago, was headed by Kandasamy's relative, who had reportedly refused to pay the temple tax, which led to the dispute.