An armed gang allegedly hacked to death an autorickshaw driver near Tidel Park on Rajiv Gandhi Salai on Saturday night.
Police said the incident, which happened around 10 p.m., was the result of a long-standing feud within the CITU-affiliated autorickshaw union outside the Indira Nagar MRTS station.
Police sources said that three other autorickshaw drivers suffered minor cut injuries while trying to rescue the victim, Yuvraj (28), a resident of Kattabomman Street in Taramani. All of them were admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Yuvraj died on the way to the hospital.
Explaining the motive behind the assault, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Adyar) Sithannan said the primary accused in the case, Purushothaman, had been removed from the autorickshaw union by Yuvraj and his friends a month ago on charges of drunken misbehaviour.
“Purushothaman went to the autorickshaw stand and created a ruckus on April 23. The police were alerted and he was arrested,” said Mr. Sithannan.
After he was released on bail three days ago, police sources said Purushothaman was seen scouting the area. Mr. Sithannan said Purushothaman, along with seven of his friends, arrived in two autorickshaws on Saturday night and the attacked the group of autorickshaw drivers, including Yuvraj.
Two of the accused, Ramu alias Ramamoorthy and Gopal, have been arrested. Four special parties have been formed to nab the others.
Following the incident, autorickshaws did not ply on Rajiv Gandhi Salai stretch on Sunday.
A road blockade was staged by autorickshaw drivers in Thiruvanmiyur on Saturday night, affecting traffic for a while.
A case has been registered under seven Sections of the IPC, including murder, attempt to murder and assault, the police said.
