Two Men Hacked to Death After Song Dispute at Kanchipuram Temple Festival

Two young men were hacked to death in Padunelli village in Kanchipuram district on Sunday night following an altercation over song selections during a temple festival concert.

The victims have been identified as 25-year-old Neelakandan and 24-year-old Chandru, both residents of Padunelli village.

The incident occurred during the annual festival at the Ponniamman temple in Padunelli village, which was being celebrated to mark the conclusion of the Tamil month of Aadi. A music concert had been organized as part of the festival celebrations.

According to reports, a quarrel broke out between two groups during the musical performance over the choice of songs being played. Police personnel who were alerted to the commotion arrived at the scene, intervened to pacify the members of both groups, and subsequently returned.

Tensions escalated after the conclusion of the concert. Neelakandan and Chandru were sitting and chatting in front of their residence in the village when an unidentified group arrived on two-wheelers. The armed gang attacked both victims, hacked them to death, and immediately fled the scene.

Following the killings, local residents gathered at the spot and expressed frustration, stating that law enforcement officials should have taken stricter action against the individuals involved in the altercation while the concert was still underway.

Police officers subsequently secured the area and sent the bodies of the two victims for post-mortem examinations. A heavy police deployment has been stationed throughout Padunelli village to monitor the situation, maintain order, and prevent any further clashes between the rival groups.