TVK functionary murder: Three minors among four held

CHENNAI: Four more persons, including three minors, were held on Tuesday in connection with the murder of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) functionary S Kannan at Vannandurai in Besant Nagar on Saturday night, taking the total number of arrests in the case to nine.

The Shastri Nagar police said the four were allegedly part of the gang involved in the attack and were present at the crime scene. Five men were arrested on Sunday.

Those detained on Tuesday include Sathish (26), who is unemployed, and three juveniles. Among the minors, one is a college student, another works in a private company and the third is unemployed. The police said all the four are friends of prime suspect V Bharani, who was among those arrested on Sunday.

The police suspect the murder was an act of revenge for the 2009 murder of Bharani’s uncle Siva alias Sivakumar in Adyar. Kannan and his associates had been arrested in connection with that case, which the police had at the time attributed to a personal dispute involving a woman.

Kannan (45), a B-category history-sheeter with at least three criminal cases against him, had earlier served as AIADMK Ward 174 (South) secretary before quitting the party and joining TVK after the Assembly election. He also ran a travel business supplying cabs to IT companies, the police said.

Kannan was speaking with friends at Vannandurai around 9.30 pm on Saturday when a gang arrived on motorcycles armed with sickles and knives. He attempted to flee but was chased and hacked to death. The assailants also allegedly threatened his friends when they tried to intervene.