A former village panchayat president was hacked to death by unidentified persons at K Pudupatti near Arimalam in the district on the wee hours on Sunday.
Police said that the former panchayat chief P R Kumar (45), was intercepted by a gang who had come in a car loaded with deadly weapons, when he was out for a stroll on Embal Road at around 5.30 am on Sunday. Kumar was killed on the spot.
The incident triggered panic and the relatives of the Kumar indulged in a road blockade following the murder demanding to arrest the culprits.
Traffic came down to its knees for more than four hours on Aranthangi-Karaikudi stretch. Kumar’s wife Santhi is presently serving as a panchayat president in the same village. R Tamil Chandran, SP and Murugesh, DSP pacified the villagers by assuring them to take necessary action.
Later, the body was sent to government hospital, Aranthangi for autopsy. Four special teams has been formed to nab the culprits.