Panchayat prez hacked to death in Tuticorin

Tuticorin: The president of the Agaram panchayat in Tuticorin district was hacked to death by a four-member gang near Eral on Wednesday. The victim, I Ponseelan, 45, of the AIADMK was murdered to avenge the murder of P Lenin, 43, of the same village in 2017 and rivalry over church elections.

Ponseelan took part in the village temple festival and went to the house of the panchayat vice-president Thavasi Kani, on Wednesday. The accused J Jeba Singh, 38, P Rooban, 48, his brother P Jegan, 42, and Jebastin from Agaram entered Kani’s house and attacked Ponseelan with machetes killing him on the spot. As the horrified villagers fled the place the accused left the place in a car.

“Four special teams nabbed the accused in less than an hour after the murder took place. The four men with blood stained clothes and weapons were travelling in a car when they were caught red-handed in Savalaperi,” superintendent of police (SP) of Tuticorin district S Jayakumar said.

The SP said that the accused also took away the gold chain, bracelet and ring of the victim and they were recovered from them.

It is learnt that Ponseelan is the prime accused in the murder of Lenin on October 22, 2017, over rivalry in illegal sand mining. Ponseelan and a few others were booked for murder, criminal conspiracy and rioting in this connection. Trial in the case has come to an end and the verdict is expected soon.

Police said that Ponseelan defeated Lenin’s wife in the panchayat president election, adding fuel to the rivalry. Meanwhile, Ponseelan also won the Thoothukudi Nazareth CSI diocesan elections that were held two days ago by defeating Jebastin.

Special teams are on the lookout for at least three more people.


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