Tamil Nadu: Panchayat president hacked to death over rivalry in Tuticorin

TUTICORIN: A panchayat president was hacked to death by a gang of four near Eral in

Tuticorin

district on Wednesday morning.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that the victim I Ponseelan, 45, of the AIADMK and president of

Agaram Panchayat

was murdered to avenge the murder of P

Lenin

, 43, of the same village in 2017.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that Ponseelan was seated in the house of the panchayat vice president

Thavasi Kani

, on Wednesday, when the accused J Jeba Singh, 38, P Rooban, 48, his brother P Jegan, 42, from Agaram, and Jebastin entered the house and attacked Ponseelan on his face with deadly weapons. Leaving him dead on the spot, the gang fled the place.

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. With verdict in the case expected over the next few days, Ponseelan was murdered on Wednesday.

Though Ponseelan is from Agaram he moved to

Veerapandiya Nagar

in

Muthiahpuram

. His body was sent to the government hospital for autopsy. Among the four accused Rooban and Jegan are the brothers of Lenin. Eral police registered a case and special teams have been formed to nab the accused.