Chennai: A 48-year-old woman was murdered by a gang near her residence at Thangal in Tiruvottiyur during the early hours of Sunday over a land deal gone sour.
J. Mehroon Nisha, a fish vendor residing at Peerbailvan Dargah road in Thangal was murdered by a three-member gang around 4.30 am on Sunday. She was waiting to avail a share autorickshaw to go to Kasimedu when the gang hacked her, police said. A piece of land opposite her residence is said to be the bone of contention. A neighbour, also named D. Mehrunisha was trying to usurp the land belonging to the victim, police sources said. The victim was also against a local hoodlum, V. Venkatesan (39) alias Kutty gambling and drinking on the plot.
“She had earlier complained to the local police after which cops had warned Kutty and his associates to not disturb the victim,” a senior police officer said.
Venkatesan was earlier detained under the Goondas Act and was arrested for throwing acid at a local councilor, police said. “He had threatened the victim several times after she approached the police,” an investigating officer said.
Following the turn of events, the accused, Mehrunisa along with Kutty plotted to eliminate her. The victim’s usual routine is to buy fish from Kasimedu and sell them at a stall in Moolakadai. Around 4.30 am, she was waiting for the share auto when Kutty and his associates, K. Veeramani (43) and B.Gabriel (38) hacked the woman and fled the scene. Passesrby picked her up and moved her to the Government Stanley Hospital where she was declared brought dead.
Later in the day, Tiruvottiyur police arrested the accused D. Mehrunisa, Kutty alias Venkatesan and two others in connection with the murder. The victim was separated from her husband and was living with her 23-year-old son, Muneer Basha, police said.
