Madurai sees 5 murders on Diwali day

Madurai: Crime escalated in Madurai on Diwali day with five murders taking place in various parts of the district, most of them under the influence of alcohol. Police sources said that among those killed were a 17-year-old boy, an auto driver, a coolie and a loadman.

Sekar, 17, son of Arockiadose of Ellis Nagar in Madurai city, was found dead with his head smashed. There had been enmity between Arockiadose and Muthupandi, 23, son of Samidurai of Vaigam Periyar Nagar as the former’s daughter had been in love with the latter.

In another incident, Manikandan, 39, a coolie of Keelnatchikulam near Sholavandan, got into a brawl with a gang in the region on Wednesday. They attacked him before the local people intervened and stopped the fight. However, when his brother Senthil visited him on Thursday morning, he found him dead with his head smashed. In another incident, Chelladurai, 27, a loadman from Mullipallam village near Sholavandan who had many cases pending against him, was found dead on the Manadimangalam road on Wednesday afternoon. An auto driver, Marimuthu, 34, of Melavasal, was also found murdered with his throat slit near the Periyar bus stand on the day. Police said that he had got into a quarrel with some people and Marimuthu’s brother had come to his support.

Another murder occurred near a bathing tank in Ammankoilpatti near Melur. Police said Bharathkumar, 25 and Balamurugan, 23, sons of Pandiselvam, had been bathing in the tank when some men from their village including P Rajapandi and Naveen Raj picked a fight with them on Tuesday. The next day, the two brothers were in their village when Rajapandi, Naveen Raj and some others picked a fight with them and stabbed Balamurugan