An armed gang on Wednesday beheaded a murder case accused and threw the severed head on the roadside near Pattukottai in Thanjavur district.
The victim, M. Prakash, 23, alias Prakash Kumar of M.N. Thottam in Pattukottai, was named as accused no. 5 in the murder of a history-sheeted rowdy, Thamba Karthi alias R. Karthi (24), at Nariyampalayam on August 13. Prakash and six others, arrested in connection with the murder, were out on conditional bail.
On Wednesday morning, police sources said, all seven accused were returning in a mini four-wheeler after signing at the Pattukottai police station, when a gang of around eight to 10 persons followed them on two-wheelers.
The gang members tried to intercept the four-wheeler, which, however, sped away.
But they continued their pursuit and lobbed country bombs at the vehicle and one of them exploded. Barring Prakash, the rest managed to escape at Aladikumulai Bypass Road.
The armed gang members caught hold of Prakash and beheaded him, the police said. They carried the severed head along with them for some distance, dumped it on the roadside and fled from the spot. The brutal murder was in retalitation to the killing of Thamba Karthi, the sources said.
Police suspect the hand of Mannaru alias Arunchandar, a relative of Thambi Karthi, and his associates in the murder. Pattukottai police has registered a case.
