In a case of mistaken identity, a group of persons murdered a lorry driver taking him for the one responsible for a fatal accident at Manakkal near Lalgudi on Wednesday night. Four persons have been named accused in the killing of K. Rajeshkumar (35). The Lalgudi police initially registered a case under IPC section 174, but later altered it as a case of murder.
Police sources said a lorry fatally knocked down a motorcyclist Moorthy at Manakkal. Fearing the wrath of the villagers, the driver escaped from the spot abandoning the goods carrier.
After a while, Rajeshkumar came to the spot and moved the abandoned lorry to police station when a group of people from Koppavadi village assaulted him mistaking him to be the escapee. A heart patient, Rajeshkumar later succumbed at the Government Hospital here. The driver responsible for the accident S. Martin (40) was arrested on Thursday .