Nehru Pandian (37), son of Ayyavu Thevar of Kovalan Nagar here, was a familiar name among police circles. He figured in at least four murder cases, many chain snatching crimes, attempt to murder and extortion cases.
When Pandian was riding a two-wheeler along with his accomplice in Thennavannur in Ramanathapuram district on Saturday, an armed gang , killed him after intercepting the two-wheeler.
On hearing that Pandian was murdered, police wasted no time in getting the post-mortem done, and amid tight security the body was cremated here on Saturday night.
Pandian started committing petty crimes as a teenager. He entertained his friends with the money he made through illegal means, and gradually became popular among antisocials. His modus operandi was to commit a crime in a neighbouring district and quietly spend the money in Madurai. After some time, he would move to another place with his friends to commit crimes.
As years passed, Pandian was ‘hired’ by businessmen who wanted to settle scores with their rivals. He also took up real estate dealings where there were encumbrances on properties. Hence, he committed grave crimes for a ‘fancy price’.
In 2012, Pandian, along with his relative ‘Pillayar’ Ganesan and others, murdered a financier in Sriperumbudur near Chennai. An auto driver was burnt to death in Avaniapuram here in 2012, and Pandian was involved in it. A decade ago, he figured in a murder case in S.S. Colony police station limits.
About a year ago, he was detained under the Goondas Act by Madurai City Police. When he came out of jail 45 days back, he had apprehended trouble from his rivals. He was moving out secretly, but he could not escape from his opponents.
Madurai City Police had detained 73 persons under the Goondas Act so far this year, against 104 persons detained last year. A police officer said sustained surveillance by special teams over members of ‘Kavaathu’ Tirupathi gang and ‘Appala’ Raja gang had kept the city free from trouble at least for the last six months.
Many criminals had either been jailed or had fled to other districts. For instance, Sounder, a notorious rowdy who was on condition bail and was targeted by his rivals near The Madura College here in 2013, had now settled in Sivaganga, the officer added.
