Four young men inflicted bleeding injuries on the head and shoulder of a 42-year-old man, V. Rajendran, and assaulted his friend, A. Arumugam (43), at Narimedu before snatching their mobile phones on Thursday.
Rajendran has been admitted to Government Rajaji hospital. The incident took place on Prasad Road around 11 a.m. when Rajendran was sitting in front of his house, police said.
Four youths, who came in two motorcycles, broached an angry conversation with Rajendran as to why he parked his two-wheeler on the road. “One of them claimed that his motorcyle was hit only because of the way I parked mine. Even as I was apologetic to them, one of them slapped me. Another person pushed Arumugam to the ground,” said Rajendran, whose profession is to record gifts in cash (moi) received in domestic functions.
Suddenly, one of them pulled out a knife and tried to attack him. “However, I held the blade of the knife and offered resistance. The youth directed his associate to pull out the other knife and assault me. As I left my hold on the knife to tackle the other person coming from behind, I was hit on my head and shoulder,” Rajendran said.
Later, the youths snatched the mobile phones of Rajendran and Arumugam, a plumber, and sped away on their motorcycles.
Rajendran said he tried to chase them on his motorcycle with the bleeding injuries, but could not find them.
He suspected that he could have been targeted by them after he caught red-handed two youths who attempted to flee after snatching a mobile phone in the locality a few months back. With the help of his neighbour, he had handed them over to the city police.
However, a police officer said that no case had been registered till Thursday evening. The Tallakulam police were investigating the case. The police said some personal motive could also be the reason for the assault, given the circumstances.
Rajendran had said he received a ticket from a party to contest the local body election (ward 38) of Madurai Corporation. However, the election could not be held.
