CHENNAI: A 32-year-old temple priest was allegedly murdered by his brother-in-law in a family dispute at Washermenpet in the early hours on Thursday.
Police said, “Karthik Raja (32), who was sleeping on a bed outside his house, was found murdered with a grinding stone thrown on his face. Meanwhile, Raja’s brother-in-law Ezhumalai (24) surrendered in the Washermenpet police station with a blood-stained knife with which he claimed to have killed Raja.”
Karthik Raja, a Shiv Sena functionary and autorickshaw driver, also worked as a temple priest.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that Karthik Raja had abused Ezhumalai’s wife, who has married three months ago and who was practising a different religion. Ezhumalai objected to Raja for abusing his wife. On Wednesday when Karthik met Ezhumalai, both had an argument. Later on Thursday, Ezhumalai saw Karthik Raja sleeping outside his house and threw a grinding stone at his head. A case has been registered.