A 23-year-old youth was allegedly beaten to death by a gang in Chennai’s Tondiarpet after he and his family repeatedly opposed the sale of ganja in their locality, triggering protests by relatives and residents who demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible.
The deceased was identified as Vishnu, a resident of Tondiarpet. Following his death, grieving relatives and members of the public staged a road blockade protest in the area, condemning the killing and seeking swift police action against the accused.
According to Vishnu’s family members, the dispute had its origins in their opposition to ganja sales in the neighbourhood. They alleged that local residents, including members of their family, had questioned and resisted the activities of those involved in the drug trade, leading to repeated confrontations.
Family members claimed that the accused had moved into the area only a few months earlier and had previously attacked Vishnu by pelting stones at him. They further alleged that on an earlier occasion, two men had come to their house carrying knives, leading to an argument when family members questioned them. During the confrontation, a woman in the family allegedly slapped one of the men after he behaved inappropriately, following which the accused allegedly threatened to destroy the entire family.
According to the family, tensions escalated further during another dispute involving women in the locality. They alleged that one of the accused, identified by them as the elder son of a man named Akilan, arrived with a knife and attempted to attack a family member. Vishnu’s relative reportedly intervened, after which the accused fled the scene.
The family alleged that the accused subsequently began gathering information about them and frequently remained under the influence of ganja and tablets. They claimed that the murder was premeditated and carried out after careful planning.
According to relatives, Vishnu had gone out to purchase tiffin from a nearby shop at around 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. when the attackers allegedly lay in wait for him in a dark area. They alleged that Vishnu was first struck on the head with a hammer, causing him to lose control and collapse along with his motorcycle.
The family further alleged that before a relative accompanying him could alert the police, the attackers assaulted Vishnu with stones and hacked him with knives. They claimed that he sustained cut injuries at seven different locations on his body and that large stones were repeatedly used to strike his head. According to the family, the attack caused severe skull fractures and extensive brain damage, resulting in his death.
Relatives maintained that the primary motive behind the murder was their opposition to ganja sales in the locality. They alleged that while some individuals were attempting to portray the dispute as politically motivated, the root cause was their campaign against drug peddling.
The family also claimed that they had proposed installing CCTV cameras throughout the area to monitor suspicious activities and had faced opposition for doing so. According to them, objections were raised over the installation of surveillance cameras, and resentment over the proposal had persisted for nearly a year.
They further alleged that the hostility dated back to a temple festival held about a year ago and that repeated threats had been issued against their family. According to relatives, the accused had earlier warned that more deaths would occur in the family and that additional funerals would take place.
Following Vishnu’s death, his relatives and local residents blocked roads in Tondiarpet and demanded the immediate arrest of all those involved in the murder. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
‘பெத்த வயிறு எரியுதே’.. சென்னையில் பகீர் சம்பவம்..க*சா விற்பனையை தட்டிக் கேட்ட இளைஞரை சுத்தி, அம்மிக்கல், பாட்டிலால் அடித்துக் கொ*ற கும்பல்.
போலீசார் மெத்தனமாக செயல்படுவதாக குற்றச்சாட்டு குடும்பத்தினர் சாலை மறியல்..! #Chennai #Police #Protest #NewsTamil24x7 pic.twitter.com/y5GjCgJUXw
— News Tamil 24×7 (@NewsTamilTV24x7) June 1, 2026
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