The city police arrested five persons here on Monday on the charge of killing a Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) functionary Mariappan a few days ago in the city.
Two more persons cited as accused in the murder case are absconding.
Among the seven persons cited as accused, two are students with one of them pursuing under graduation in a private college in the city and another being a plus one student.
The body of Mariappan, an auto driver, was found floating in a sewage farm at Panjappur within the city limits. The Edamalaipattipudur police registered a case of murder.
A special police team constituted to investigate the murder case arrested Maharaja (20), Jagadeesan (21), Manikandan (21), Bhaskar (19), and Balaji (18) .
The arrested were later remanded in judicial custody and lodged in the Central Prison, Tiruchi. The prime accused Manikandan (21), a college student, and Kumar (22) are on the run.
Police sources here said the murder of the VCK functionary was a fall out of a fight between Mariappan and Manikandan, the college student.
The sources said Manikandan and Maharaja had reportedly assaulted Mariappan's relative Gopi a few months ago for having teased a girl who belonged to the community of the former.
In retaliation, Mariappan and his associates assaulted Manikandan.
Manikandan, who reportedly bore a grudge against the VCK functionary, planned to eliminate the auto driver, the sources said, adding that Mariappan was attacked with sharp weapons and the body was thrown into the sewage farm.
A couple of two-wheelers and sharp weapons used for executing the crime have been seized.
