Chennai: A village panchayat president in Tiruvallur district was hacked to death on Friday when he was on his morning walk. This is the third such incident of a representative of local bodies being murdered in districts neighbouring Chennai in the last two weeks.
A gang on three bikes allegedly surrounded Thangaraj (48), president of Melmanamedu Village panchayat, when he was on his morning constitutional on Pattabiram Road.
They did him to death near the Vellaivedu police station. Police said the deceased was cited as the third accused in a murder case a few years back. They disclosed that Friday’s event seemed like a murder for revenge.
“He was serving as president of the panchayat for the last two terms. This time, the post was reserved for women. It appears he was planning to field his sister for the post,” police sources said.
Thangaraj was running a brick kiln and was also into real estate business. His supporters blocked the Poonamalee – Thiruvallur road demanding the immediate arrest of his killers.
It may be recalled that on Sunday morning the sitting AIADMK councillor of Tiruttani municipality in Thiruvallur district, Shanmugham (42), was murdered after his car was intercepted and chilli powder was sprinkled on him.
In another recent murder of local body representative, a DMK ward member of village panchayat in Padappai in Kancheepuram district named G. Dhanasekharan was hacked to death inside a CSI church hall in David Nagar on October 2 when the service was on.
