The Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) on Saturday arrested five persons in connection with the murder of a worker in a cashew processing unit belonging to Cuddalore DMK MP T.R.V.S. Ramesh in Panikankuppam, near Panruti. The murder took place on September 20.
The arrested have been identified as Natarajan, Kandavel, Allapichai, Vinodh and Sundararajan, all employees of the cashew processing unit. Police said they are searching for Mr. Ramesh.
Also read | Probe into cashew unit worker’s death transferred to CB-CID
The case, which was initially probed by the Kadampuliyur police, was transferred to the CB-CID on the directions of Director General of Police C. Sylendra Babu on September 28. The case was converted into murder by the CB-CID which took over the probe.
According to police, the victim K. Govindarasu, 60, of Melmampattu, was working as a labourer in the cashew processing unit for the last seven years. On September 20, Govindarasu was returning home after work when an employee frisked him and accused him of stealing 7 kg of cashew nuts. Govindarasu was allegedly assaulted on the premises and later taken to the Kadampuliyur police station for lodging a complaint.
The Station House officer noticed bleeding injuries on Govindarasu’s face and asked the complainants Kandavelu and Shanmugam to take him to the hospital for treatment. However, the duo reportedly took the victim back to the cashew processing unit. Govindarasu was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the unit a few hours later.
According to CB-CID sources, the team perused CCTV footage of the victim being brought to the police station on September 20 and conducted enquiries. The team arrested the five based on prima facie evidence. The accused were produced before a local court and remanded to custody.
