TIRUVANNAMALAI: Police have arrested a Panchayat union president and two others for abducting two men and attempting to extract money by force.
According to police sources, the accused intended to cash in on a fatal road accident that the brother of the one of the abducted had allegedly caused.
As per police sources, on July 18, Anbazhagan, who was riding a two-wheeler, hit a person at Isukali Kaateri. Since the victim died in the accident, Veraiyur police registered a case.
Three men from the village -- identified by police as Pazhani (Panchayat Union president), Rajakannu and Moorthi -- however, saw an opportunity in the case and attempted to encash it, the sources said.
The trio demanded Panchamoorthi, Anbazhagan's elder brother, to dole out compensation for the death caused by his brother. They forced Anbazhagan to sign a blank bond copy.
Meanwhile, on August 20, they abducted Panchamoorthi and his relative Muthuvel demanding the duo to either pay Rs 6 lakh or transfer their lands, the police sources said.
Soon after the threat, Panchamoorthi approached Vettavalam police and lodged a complaint. The police launched a probe and arrested the men.
They were remanded in judicial custody. Tiruvannamalai Superintendent of Police (SP) S Aravind issued a strict warning against such illegal interventions.