Two more persons arrested in DMK functionary murder case

Chennai, Nov 18 (UNI) Police today arrested two more persons, including an associate of slain history sheeter ''Manalmedu'' Shankar in connection with the killing of senior DMK functionary ''Poondi'' Kalaichelvan by a nine - member gang at Koratacherry village in Tiruvarur district yesterday.

Soon after Kalaichelvan was killed in a bomb attack at his residence, police had arrested five assailants -- Selvam, Krishnakumar, ''Korangu'' Senthil, Saravanan and Veeran near the Singalancheri railway gate and seized the vehicle used for committing the offence.

Based on further investigation, police today arrested ''Manalmedu'' Sathasivam, an accomplice of Shankar, who was killed in an encounter with the police last year, and Kalaivanan.

With this, seven people have so far been arrested in connection with the murder, which had sent shock waves in the district.

Police are also on the look out for six more people, including Koratacherry AIADMK Town Panchayat leader Senthil kumar, who were at large.

Investigations revealed that the killing was a sequel to the murder of AIADMK functionary Sampath three years back and Kalaichelvan was cited as the prime accused in the case.

Meanwhile, normalcy returned in Tiruvarur and Koratacherry which witnessed violence in the aftermath of the killing of Kalaichelvan.

Shops were opened today and bus services which remained suspended to Tiruvarur, resumed this morning.

However, police pickets were posted in Koratacherry to prevent any untoward incident.

UNI