THOOTHUKUDI: An alleged dispute over installation of flex banner for puberty function, led to murder of a 40-year-old VCK functionary by Caste Hindus at a fuel station on Rameshwaram road in Thoothukudi district on Sunday.
The family members of deceased C Balamurugan (40) of Chottaiyanthoppu, blocked the Rameshwaram road demanding immediate arrest of the suspects.
Sources said that the victim Balamurugan was formerly Ottapidaram union secretary of VCK party, and runs a grocery shop in Chottaiyanthoppu. He was at the petrol bunk on Tharuvaikulam road to refill his bike, when a gang of three hacked him to death before fleeing away in the busy stretch on Sunday, said sources.
Police sources said that Balamurugan had erected a flex banner for a puberty function of his relative late on Saturday. However some of the locals had opposed it, which snowballed into a serious argument in the mid night. Meanwhile, a gang of three suspects murdered Balamurugan at petrol bunk on Rameshwaram road.
Tirunelveli range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Dr R Thirunavukarasu inspected the crime scene along with Thoothukudi Superintendent of Police R Shiva Prasad and initiated investigations.
"Four special teams have been formed under DSP (Rural) to nab the assailants. The special teams have come closer to the suspects and the suspect will be arrested soon", said Thirunavukarasu.
Police sources said that they have picked two suspects from caste Hindu community from the same locality and interrogation is on.