Man Hacked to Death Near Tiruvallur on Way to Police Station, Three Arrested

A 32-year-old man was hacked to death by a gang near Pagalmedu in Tiruvallur on Tuesday morning while riding to a local police station. Three suspects were caught by local residents after their getaway vehicle crashed into a wall shortly after the attack.

The victim was identified as Marimuthu, a resident of Chittathur. According to police sources, Marimuthu was on his way to the Vengal police station to sign a register in connection with an earlier case when a car rammed into his two-wheeler.

After Marimuthu was knocked off his motorcycle, the assailants stepped out of the vehicle and attacked him fatally with knives. The gang then attempted to speed away from the scene in their car. However, during the escape attempt, the vehicle crashed into the compound wall of a nearby house.

Local residents rushed to the spot, intercepted the crashed vehicle, and caught three of the occupants. The trio was identified as Kalanidhi, 24, Dheena, 25, and Naresh, 21. The residents handed them over to the police. Two other suspects managed to flee the area on foot, and police have launched a search to apprehend them.

Officers recovered knives from the crashed car. Preliminary inquiries suggest that a past relationship may have triggered the murder. Police stated that Marimuthu had allegedly been in a relationship with Dheena’s sister, whose husband reportedly died by suicide last year over the affair. Investigators suspect this grievance led to the fatal attack and are currently probing the exact roles played by Dheena and the other accused.

Police also noted that Marimuthu had been booked about a month ago following an altercation with an electricity board official over frequent power outages. Marimuthu's body was sent to the Tiruvallur Government Hospital for a post-mortem examination as the investigation continues.