DHARMAPURI: A 55-year-old man was arrested in Madukkarai in the city for allegedly murdering his son during a scuffle triggered by the latter while inebriated.
The deceased C Vignesh Kumar (26) of Bharathi Colony on Sundarapuram Road in Madukkarai was an auto-rickshaw driver. He was married and later separated from his wife over his alcohol addiction. He was living with his grandmother, Santhamani, for the last year, near his parents' house.
On Thursday, around 10.30 pm, Vignesh Kumar went to his parents' house and engaged in a brawl under the influence of alcohol. He allegedly assaulted his father, K Chelladurai (55). In an attempt to stop him, Chelladurai allegedly pushed him away. Vignesh Kumar, who fell on the floor, sustained injuries to the head and eyes and soon became unconscious. The family called an ambulance, but the crew examined his pulse and declared him dead. The body was shifted to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for postmortem, and Madukkarai police arrested Chelladurai on murder charges. Further investigation is on.
In another case, the Kovilpalayam police in the Coimbatore Rural (District) police formed a special team to investigate the murder of a 55-year-old man. The deceased M Devaraj of South Street of Kurumbapalayam near Muthugoundanur Pudur near Sulur, was living with his wife, Lakshmi (48) and two children. Devaraj grazed goats owned by Selvaraj of Pachapalayam. On November 2, Devaraj visited Selvaraj to ask for a loan for personal expenses. Subsequently, Devaraj informed that he was going to a nearby shop and left and has been missing since. Unable to locate him, Devaraj's wife, Lakshmi, filed a complaint with Annur police on Wednesday. Police booked a man missing case and launched a search.
On Thursday, Devaraj was found dead with injuries at Mettankadu Thottam at Seraiyampalayam near Vellanaipatti in the Kovilpalayam police limit. Police retrieved the body and sent it to ESI Medical College Hospital for a postmortem. A case of murder was registered, and a probe has been initiated by a special team. "He was murdered under mysterious circumstances, and there is no idea what the motive for the murder was. A detailed investigation is under way to trace the murderers," a senior police officer said.
One more killed in a drunken brawl
One more murder case was reported in the Thadagam police limit on Friday evening. Police arrested the suspect, R Saravanan (42) of Dindigul district. He was working with a private security agency and had befriended the deceased O Ragavan (36) of Chinna Thadagam on November 2 at a liquor shop at Nallampalayam in the city. Ragavan brought Saravanan to Thadagam on the same day, assuring that he could source liquor and food from his uncle.
When his uncle's arrival was delayed, Ragavan asked Saravanan to sponsor liquor in the meantime. While sharing liquor, a heated argument broke out between them, and Saravanan assaulted Ragavan with a stone and fled the spot. Ragavan sustained severe head injuries and died on the spot. Police examined CCTV footage from the area and traced Saravanan. He was arrested and remanded to prison on Friday.