Tension after murder of college student

Police are on the lookout for eight persons

Tension prevailed in Melur area in Thirupathisagaram near here on Sunday, following the murder of a college student on Saturday night.

A gang brutally attacked B. Lakshmanakumar (23), a second-year B.Sc student, and his friend R. Velu (23) with sharp-edged weapons near Thirupathisagaram bus stop on Saturday.

On hearing the commotion, Lakshmanakumar’s father rushed to the spot and took both of them, who had sustained injuries in the attack, to a nearby private hospital. But Lakshmankumar was declared brought dead. Velu is undergoing treatment.

Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan, along with a police party and officials, rushed to the spot. According to the police, the murder took place due to previous enmity.

It all started when the name of Dineshkumar (28), a panchayat overhead tank operator, was removed from the banners put up in connection with the local temple festival and a voter awareness campaign recently.

Irked over this, Dineshkumar had allegedly clashed with a few youths in the village. Police pickets were posted in the village to avoid violent clashes.

The murder could have been carried out in this connection, sources said.

The relatives of the deceased initially refused to accept the body after post-mortem at Kanyakumari Government Medical College Hospital (KGMCH). However, they received the body around 12 noon on Sunday. The body was taken to the village and buried amidst police protection. The situation is under control in the village.

The police took Manikandan and Sasi of the same village for questioning. The police are on the lookout for eight others, including Dineshkumar.

Aralvoimozhi police have registered a case under Sections 147, 148, 341, 294B, 323, 307 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

Five special teams had been formed to nab the accused, police sources said.