A senior member of the Bharatiya Janata Party was hacked to death by a four-member gang, near here, police said on Sunday.
As many as eight special teams have been formed to nab the culprits, a senior police officer said.
“The incident occurred on Saturday night when the victim was traveling to his home in M Vilankulam on his motorcycle. After purchasing some products in the local market, he was travelling to his home which is four kilometres away from the spot where the incident occurred. He died on the spot," the official told the media.
Two political leaders, AIADMK and BJP workers, were hacked to death in Tamil Nadu in the last 24 hours, raising questions over the deteriorating law and order in the state.
After an autopsy at the district government hospital, the body of 52-year-old Selva Kumar, the Cooperative Wing Secretary of the BJP, was handed over to his family, he said.
To a query, the police official said the four accused have been identified and, based on initial investigation and interaction with the family members of the victim, the motive behind the murder has been ascertained to be personal issues.
“It is not related to his political party position or his ideology. It is because of some personal issue. We have identified the four accused who are involved in the crime,” the official said.
To another query, he said, “Eight special teams have been formed. We have identified the location of the four accused right now. Very soon, we will secure them into custody.” Meanwhile, reports earlier in the day said that the victim's family members and BJP party supporters staged a 'road roko', raising slogans demanding that the police arrest the culprits.
AIADMK leader Padmanadhan was brutally hacked in Cuddalore, Sivagangai district.
Both AIADMK and BJP have slammed Chief Minister MK Stalin over the worsening law and order in the state. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai asked CM Stalin to "introspect" if he had the right to continue as chief minister of the state.
Recently Tamil Nadu unit President of Bahujan Samaj Party K Armstrong was hacked to death in Chennai by a gang, leading to widespread outrage in the state. Opposition parties, including the AIADMK, have flagged the issue of deteriorating law and order in the state.