PMK activist, 2 others held for murder threat to DMK couple

Chennai, Jul 27 (UNI) A Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) functionary and two others, including a hired killer, were today arrested when they came to eliminate a couple, both ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) functionaries, at suburban Madampakkam today and seized arms and ammunition from them.

Police sources said PMK local Secretary Babu, Veeraperumal (27), a hired killer against whom several murder and attempt-to-murder cases were pending and PMK Local Publicity Secretary Jeevanandam were arrested in the case.

They were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.

A feud over encroachment of 1.25 acre government poromboke lands by the PMK men was said to be the reason behind Babu holding out the threat.

Acting on a complaint from Madampakkam Town Panchayat President Mallika Mohan and her husband Mohan, a local DMK functionary and Ward Councillor, district officials retrieved the land encroached by Babu two months back.

The District Administration also decided to construct a park for the benefit of public and allotted Rs 4.30 lakh for this purpose.

The work for setting up the park had also commenced.

After his repeated attempts to get back the land failed, an enraged Babu went to the DMK functionary's house and set a two-hour deadline demanding steps be taken to allot the land back to him failing which he would be eliminated along with his family.

Acting on a complaint, a police team lay in wait at Mohan's house and arrested Babu and the two others when they came to eliminate them in a SUV vehicle.

They also seized two lengthy swords, 32 live bullets, a 0.22 mm revolver and raw materials used for making country bombs from them.

During interrogation, Babu confessed that he had hired Veeraprasad and Jeevanandam to kill the couple.

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