12-member gang arrested

Cuddalore police avert a major crime

The Cuddalore police on Friday arrested a 12-member gang which was planning a major offence in Sonankuppam coastal hamlet here.

The police said Mahendhran, 30, Vetrivel, 48, Ramaiyan, 50, Annadurai, 33, Devaraj, 43, Sarathkumar, 23, Rajesh alias Appu, 30, Sathish Kumar alias Sathish, 24, Kanmani, 40, Raguman, 23, Arun, 20, and Dhanikachalam, 64, of Devanampattinam were nabbed while they were conspiring to attack fishermen of the Sonankuppam coastal hamlet.

Following instructions from Superintendent of Police C. Vijayakumar, a team was patrolling Devanamapttinam when it nabbed the gang and seized sharp weapons from the accused.

Hacked to death

K. Panjanathan, 37th ward secretary of AIADMK and resident of Sonankuppam, was hacked to death by a gang from Devanampattinam on May 16.

A row between fishermen of Sonankuppam and Devanampattinam over the use of

purse seine nets led to the incident.

The arrested persons were produced before a local court and have been lodged in the Cuddalore Central Prison.