Senior BJP leader hacked to death in Nagapattinam

NAGAPATTINUM: Senior BJP leader S Pugazhendhi (52) was hacked to death near the Nagapattinam police station while he was on his morning walk on Wednesday. The murder took place near the LIC office here at 5.30am.
Four unidentified persons surrounded him and attacked him with lethal weapons. He sustained injuries on his head and neck and died on the spot.
Pugazhendhi is survived by two sons and a daughter.
A Sekar (35) claimed to be the murderer and surrendered before the Mannargudi judicial magistrate a few hours after the incident.
Pugazhendhi, a state BJP executive functionary, was a resident of Neela south street here and was running a tiles business.
Police personnel, led by SP Ramar, rushed to the spot. The body was taken to the government hospital in Nagapattinam for post-mortem.
Party cadres and his relatives staged a road-blockade, demanding the arrest of the murderers immediately.
Police personnel were deployed to prevent any untoward incident but BJP cadres pelted stones after which shops downed shutters. Pugazhendhi's body was kept at his house till the evening after which the funeral took place.
Pon Radhakrishnan, state BJP president, paid homage to the deceased, and said the state government should take stern action against such brutalities.
The police claimed there was previous enmity between the deceased and Sekar. They said the land grabbing cell had registered a case against Pugazhendhi a fortnight ago. Subsequently, he was arrested but came out on bail.
He had a long criminal record and was a history-sheeter, they added.