MADURAI: Four people were arrested on Saturday in connection with a case of retaliatory murder of a 33-year-old man in Madurai. The Madurai city police have identified the deceased person as R Arul Murugan (28) of Kamarajar Salai.
Those apprehended include Killi Anandh, Nagarjun, Arunkumar, and an unknown individual. According to the police, the incident happened on Friday when the complainant M Manimaran (33) and Arul Murugan, his cousin, were travelling in separate vehicles. The suspects waylaid Arul and murdered him. This, the police said, was in retaliation to the murder of R Navaneethan of Kalmedu on November 23, 2023.
The police said Navaneethan was embroiled in a dispute with one Pandivel, who was supported by Arul, Manimaran, and others. During a quarrel, Arul, Manimaran and others hacked Navaneethan to death and injured N Anand (23) of Pudur.
During an investigation, Manimaran revealed that Navaneethan had expressed his wish to marry the former's relative, Swetha. But, Swetha did not reciprocate the same. So, Arul, Manimaran, and others married her off to another man. An irate Navaneethan attempted to murder some people from Arul and Manimaran's gang, but was killed before he could do anything. The Koodal Pudur police, who said that all suspects and victims involved in the cases are labourers engaged in loading and unloading goods from lorries, have registered a case and a probe is under way.