Chennai: Two days after a history-sheeter was hacked to death in broad daylight by a gang near Mannady, the City police arrested five persons in connection with the murder. Police said that the murder was the result of fallout between the deceased rowdy J. Vijayakumar alias Viji and another gang when they were in prison. However, sources also indicated that Viji was courting the same woman whom another rowdy was in a relationship with and this led to the murder.
On Wednesday, around 3 pm, Viji was returning after appearing before a magistrate in the Georgetown court complex when he was murdered. A resident of Pallavan Nagar 1st street in Tondiarpet, Police said that Viji took odd jobs as a boat repair mechanic in the Kasimedu fishing harbour. He also had nine criminal cases, including an attempt to murder case, against him, police said.
Police sources said that Viji was riding along the Pavalathar street in Mannadi when a six-member gang intercepted him. They picked up an argument with Viji and subsequently the verbal duel escalated into a brawl. All of a sudden, the gang unleashed the weapons they were carrying and rained blows on Viji. He was killed on the spot.
Subsequent investigations by the Muthialpet police revealed that the previous enmity was the reason behind the murder. On Friday, a police team picked up five persons — A. Abdul Saleem (24) of Tondiarpet, S. Mohanraj (24) of Ennore, M. Ganesh (24), A. Venkatesan (25) and K. Munusamy (26) of Thiruvottiyur. All five of them were picked up from a hideout in Thiruvottiyur, police said.
