CHENNAI: The rivalry between aides of notorious gangster Don Sridhar erupted in violence as assailants vandalised a supermarket that refused to pay ‘mamool’ and attacked members who failed to side with them.
After the death of Don Sridhar in 2017, a gang war erupted in Kancheepuram between two factions. One is led by Dinesh, who was Sridhar’s driver, and his partner Thyagarajan alias Thyagu. The other is led by Sridhar’s brother-in-law Thanikachalam.
While Thanikachalam was arrested about a year ago, Dinesh and Thyagu who were in prison for the last two years were released a few months earlier on bail. “The duo went into hiding soon after their release and have been operating to capture the territories and incomes which they had lost. Earlier, Thanikachalam before his arrest had taken the businesses and kangaroo courts from Dinesh who was in prison,” said a senior police officer who is part of the investigation team.
On Wednesday evening at around 7.30, a group of ten henchmen entered a supermarket and vandalised the property and items in the store. The supervisors were told to pay ‘mamool’ every month and staff were threatened with machetes. CCTV footage of the incident went viral on Thursday.
The owner of the supermarket located in Salai Road in Kancheepuram town had supposedly refused to pay money weeks ago when the henchmen approached him.
In the video, customers in the shop can be seen rushing out of the store as assailants threaten them and the staff. Later, the men vandalised the items inside the shop with machetes.
On Wednesday night, the gang reached the house of Prabhu who was an aide of Dinesh. “As Prabhu was not there, the gang threatened his wife and attacked his sons Kamalesh and Jeganathan. Kamalesh sustained injuries on his head and hands, while Jeganathan was stabbed with a machete on the back,” said a police officer.
The duo were admitted to the Kancheepuram Government Hospital for treatment. Similarly, the gang attacked Rajamannar and Venkadesan as they had leased a land near the lake in Siruvakkam village without paying commission to Dinesh and Thyagu. The duo were admitted to a private hospital for treatment.
Dr M Sudhakar, Superintendent of Police, Kancheepuram district, told The New Indian Express, “We have nabbed five men and an inquiry is on. We are confident we will arrest the men involved before tonight. A special team has been launched and is searching for Dinesh and Thanikachalam.”