CHENNAI: A three-member gang that came in a two-wheeler hacked to death an AIADMK functionary representing Chennai corporation ward 21, while he was at his friend’s pawnshop near Manali Bus Stand, on Saturday evening. The deceased identified as Mullai Gnanasekar, (55), resident of Manali, whose custom is to hold business meetings at the pawnshop of Tunda Ram, (35), was talking to the latter, at around 5.45 pm, when the trio entered the shop, and exchanged greetings in gesture.
Tunda Ram, who spotted them carrying swords raised an alarm and ran into the safe-room, and Gnanasekar followed suit but in vain. He was first assaulted on the neck and was subsequently hacked multiple times by the trio. As the neighbours got the wind of the incident, they tried to catch the culprits of which two were wearing black helmets. The trio threatened to hack them as well. The trio established their supremacy over others by damaging an autorickshaw parked near the shop and sped away in the bike, riding triplet.
Gnanasekar, a local AIADMK heavyweight, was into real estate deals and decides on labour issues in companies in that neighbourhood. He quit from an engine manufacturing major to join Congress, and then went with G.K Moopanar’s TMC, and DMK before he landed in AIADMK in 2007. He had won as Manali civic body chief representing TMC. With two spouses, he has five children of whom two are married and is currently living with his children and second wife. His first wife died many years ago. Police are in the possession of CCTV footage from the shop of Tunda Ram, and are trying to trace the suspect who was not wearing a helmet when he attacked.
