Building contractor murdered

A building contractor was murdered by an armed gang in broad daylight at Vadakku Thaazhaiyooththu on the city outskirts on Monday.

Police said N. Kannan, 36, a building contractor from Vadakku Thaazhaiyooththu, had gone in a cargo auto along with the driver of the vehicle to fetch water for an ongoing construction activity. When he was standing near the auto even as the driver had gone to switch on the pump, five persons who came to the spot in three bikes hacked Kannan to death on the spot and escaped.

Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thaazhaiyooththu, Archana visited the spot.

Police suspect that the murder was the handiwork of the supporters of history-sheeter P. Muthu Mano, 27, of Vaagaikulam near Moontradaippu in the district was beaten to death in Palayamkottai Central Prison on April 22 last where he had been lodged after getting arrested in connection with an attempt to murder case along with three of his associates.

“Since Kannan was a friend of Jacob, one of the accused in the murder of Muthu Mano, we suspect that his friends would have murdered him,” a police officer privy to the ongoing investigation said.

Thaazhaiyooththu police have registered a case.