History Sheeter Murdered on Erode Highway in Tamil Nadu; Four Arrested

Chennai, March 19 (NationPress) A 35-year-old history-sheeter was heinously hacked to death by an unknown gang on Wednesday at Nasiyanur, located along the Salem-Coimbatore National Highway in Erode district, Tamil Nadu.

The deceased, known as John alias Chanakya, resided in SMC Colony in Kitchipalayam, Salem city.

The assault took place while he was traveling with his wife, Saranya, from Salem to Tiruppur in their vehicle. A group, trailing the couple in two cars, collided with their automobile, forcing it to halt at Nasiyanur. Upon stopping, the assailants attacked John with machetes, causing severe injuries that led to his immediate death. Saranya tried to intervene but suffered injuries to her hand and was subsequently taken to a private hospital for treatment.

According to police sources, John had numerous criminal cases against him, including attempted murder, registered at various police stations in the Salem district. He had recently relocated to Periya Palayam in Tiruppur district, where he was operating a vehicle loan finance business.

At the time of the incident, he was returning from the Annadanapatti police station in Salem, where he had attended routine legal proceedings. The violent attack sparked panic among motorists on the highway.

Erode Superintendent of Police G. Jawahar arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the report. The police revealed that the murder was executed by an eight-member gang.

In attempts to apprehend the suspects, officers fired shots, injuring four of them. They were arrested and are currently receiving medical care at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Perundurai.

These individuals will be transferred to Coimbatore Government Hospital for further treatment. Meanwhile, four other suspects managed to flee, prompting a manhunt to locate them.

The body of John was sent to the Government Erode Medical College and Hospital in Perundurai for a post-mortem examination.

This brutal murder is part of a concerning trend of violent killings involving history-sheeters in Tamil Nadu. Just a day prior, former Tamil Nadu police sub-inspector Zakhir Hussein Bijli (64) was killed in Tirunelveli. He was attacked by a four-member gang while returning home on his motorcycle after morning prayers.

On March 16, two other history-sheeters, Arun Kumar (25) and Padappai Suresh (25), were also murdered in what the police classified as a gang rivalry incident.

Another incident occurred on March 11, where another history-sheeter, Vasoolraja (30), was killed in Kancheepuram after a gang threw a country-made bomb at him. The explosion, which hit his chest, resulted in his instant demise. He had over 20 criminal cases against him and had recently been released on bail.

The recent spike in violent crimes has raised alarms regarding Tamil Nadu's law and order situation.

Opposition parties, including AIADMK, BJP, and PMK, have criticized the ruling DMK government for its inability to manage criminal activities. AIADMK leader and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami condemned the rising murder rate, stating, 'There's no need for me to elaborate on the dreadful law-and-order scenario under the DMK government.'

BJP Tamil Nadu chief K. Annamalai claimed that law and order have 'collapsed' to such an extent that even a former police officer was murdered in broad daylight.

PMK president Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss also voiced serious concerns regarding the escalating violence within the state.