Tiruvallur witnessed a shocking double murder after two youths, including a bank employee, were beaten to death with stones by a gang allegedly under the influence of ganja, triggering widespread outrage in the district.
The victims were identified as Parthiban (32), a resident of Ondikuppam in Manavalanagar and an employee of a private bank in Sevvapet, and Sukumar (31). Parthiban had travelled to Andhra Pradesh along with his friends Kesavamoorthy (25) and Sukumar to celebrate the Pongal festival and returned to Tiruvallur on the evening of the incident.
Around 7:00 pm, the three friends were standing near a bakery on the Poonamallee–Tiruvallur Highway in Manavalanagar, when two men on a motorcycle allegedly sped towards them in a reckless manner. When Parthiban and his friends questioned the riders about their dangerous driving, an argument broke out, which briefly escalated into a scuffle. The bikers then left the spot.
Later, after dinner at a nearby hotel, the trio came out around 10:30 pm, when the same two men returned along with two more associates. The four allegedly picked up stones and launched a sudden and brutal attack on Parthiban, Sukumar, and Kesavamoorthy. Parthiban sustained severe head injuries and died on the spot. Sukumar and Kesavamoorthy were left critically injured.
The attackers fled the scene, while bystanders rushed the injured men to the Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital. Sukumar succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, while Kesavamoorthy remains in a critical condition and is undergoing treatment.
Parthiban is survived by his wife and a two-year-old child. Sukumar’s wife is reportedly eight months pregnant. The incident has plunged the local community into deep grief and anger.
Manavalanagar police rushed to the spot, recovered Parthiban’s body, and sent it for post-mortem examination. Acting on the directions of Tiruvallur Superintendent of Police Vivekananda Sukla, three special police teams were formed to nab the culprits.
Police investigations led to the identification of four suspects from the same locality: Jawahar (23), Vinothkumar (36), Jyothish (34), and Neelakandan (30). Acting on a tip-off, police surrounded their hideout in Manavalanagar. During an attempt to escape, Neelakandan fractured his right leg while jumping over a compound wall, and Jawahar sustained a fracture to his right arm. All four were arrested and taken to the Tiruvallur Government Hospital for treatment before being taken into custody.
Following the murders, more than 50 residents from Ondikuppam staged a road blockade on the Poonamallee–Tiruvallur Highway, demanding swift justice. The protest was withdrawn after police assured strict action against the accused.
Meanwhile, political links of the accused have also surfaced. Neelakandan is reportedly associated with the Bahujan Samaj Party, while Jawahar is said to be a functionary of TVK. Both reportedly have previous criminal cases registered against them.
When questioned about whether the accused were under ganja or alcohol intoxication, Tiruvallur district police stated that the exact nature of intoxication would be confirmed only after medical examination reports, drawing criticism for allegedly downplaying the role of ganja in the killings.
The incident has intensified concerns over the growing menace of ganja and drug-related crimes in Tiruvallur district. PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss blamed the DMK government, alleging that Tiruvallur has become a major entry point for ganja into Tamil Nadu and that drug circulation has increased since the DMK came to power.
In a separate incident the same night, a gang of six youths allegedly under the influence of ganja vandalised houses, street taps, and streetlights at an Irular colony in Thazhavedu near Tiruttani. They reportedly abused women residents using obscene language and attacked a 50-year-old man, Ramasamy, with an iron rod when he questioned them. Ramasamy was initially admitted to the Tiruttani Government Hospital and later referred to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai for advanced treatment. Two special teams have been formed to trace the absconding attackers.
Source: Dinamalar
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