It was a scene reminiscent of a gangster movie — a petty gang brandished knives and sickles and in full public view, brutally attacked and injured a rival in Perambur. The victim’s accomplices then chased the gangsters and hacked one of them to death on the main road after snatching his own weapon.
Shocking scenes unfolded near the Venus park in Sembium around 5.15 p.m. on Sunday when a four-member gang led by history-sheeter Raji alias Rajesh (29) from Tambaram, who were waiting in a nearby autorickshaw, chased Gopi (26), an anti-social element, now residing in Tiruvallur. Sembium police officials said the gang hacked Gopi leaving him with cut wounds all over his body. Rajesh, previously a resident of Agaram, Perumbur had a longstanding rivalry with Gopi, who used to live in Thiru-vi-ka Nagar.
“Rajesh, who was released from prison on Friday, came to the spot with his accomplices after getting to know that Gopi was coming to pay his last respects to a relative who had passed away. Gopi was unarmed and caught unawares,” said an investigating officer.
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Gopi’s friends, who were attending the funeral, spotted the attackers and came running to his rescue. Rajesh and his gang tried to flee the spot. But Gopi’s friends managed to pin down Rajesh after he tumbled on a median on Paper Mills Road in Perambur. They then snatched his sickle and hacked him to death. They also attacked Jaganathan, who had accompanied Rajesh.
A police team reached the spot and carried our preliminary investigations. While Rajesh’s body was shifted to the Government Kilpauk hospital for post-mortem examination, Gopi has been admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General hospital for treatment. His condition is critical, police sources added.
Sembium police have detained a few of the attackers.
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