THOOTHUKUDI: Two people, including a 20-year-old youth and a 55-year-old woman, were murdered on Sunday night in a quarrel that erupted in January over installing a banner. The deceased were identified as A Pragadeesh (20) of Valluvar Nagar, and B Kasthuri (55) of Shenbanagar in Kovilpatti.
According to sources, B Sathish Mathavan (26), who is the the prime suspect, and his friends hacked Pragadeesh to death late on Sunday. Meanwhile, the gang of Pragadeesh rushed to the house of Sathish Mathavan immediately in search of him with lethal weapons. Since he was not there, they murdered Mathavan’s mother Kasthuri. Kasthuri’s brother Shenbagam, who tried to protect her, also suffered injuries.
The two murders happened within half an hour, said sources.
Kovilpatti police, headed by DSP Jeganathan, shifted the bodies to Tirunelveli government medical hospital, and admitted Shenbagam to Kovilpatti government hospital. Security has been beefed up in and around Kovilpatti.
Sources said Pragadeesh and Sathish Mathavan were heads of two groups of friends. When Sathish was consuming alcohol along with his friends at a temple in Valluvar Nagar, Pragadeesh’s father Anandhan lodged a police complaint and FIR was registered against Sathish.
Later, Pragadeesh and his friends suspected Sathish of tearing a flex banner erected for a wedding near his house and warned him. In response, Sathish had allegedly issued death threats to Pragadeesh, his father Anandhan and Rathnam. A complaint was lodged regarding this at Kovilpatti east police station on April 29. This had fueled enmity between the two groups, said sources.
Sources added that both Pragadeesh and Sathish had been involved in PDS rice smuggling, and were working for a smuggler who is detained under Goondas Act. Police are also investigating this angle.
Thoothukudi SP Albert John said eight suspects have been arrested in connection with the two murders.