RAMANATHAPURAM
Four special teams have been formed to nab those involved in the alleged murder of former vice-president of Ilamanur village panchayat in the district by quarry workers when he objected to quarrying in a ‘kanmai’ (waterbody) on Sunday.
Superintendent of Police Omprakash Meena, who visited the ‘kanmai’ on Tuesday, said two teams, including the one headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police, had left for Kancheepuram and Chennai while the other two teams, including the one headed by the Inspector, Serious Crime Squad, would operate locally.
Some of the accused were hiding in the district, while others were believed to have either fled to Kancheepuram or Chennai. One of the five accused surrendered before a court in Kancheepuram district on Monday, he said.
The police case was that B. Mohan, a former vice-president of the village panchayat, and five others objected to quarrying of savudu in the kanmai and picked a quarrel with quarry workers on Sunday. After some time, the quarry workers brought men in two vehicles, attacked the villagers with wooden logs and chased them away. Mohan succumbed to his injuries, while five others escaped with injuries.
Citing the preliminary post mortem report, the SP said the deceased had blunt injuries on head and abdomen. Detailed report after chemical analysis would reveal the exact cause of death. The villagers alleged that Mohan was pushed into the water and murdered by the quarry workers. The quarrying was done with a permit, which was renewed for the third time recently, the SP said.
