The Villupuram town police on Thursday arrested five persons in connection with the murder of a petrol bunk manager at Thiru Nagar near here on February 4. The arrested were identified as Raghu, Muthukumar, Damodaran, Arockiaraj and Cyril.
Police said the victim S. Srinivasan, a resident of Panruti in Cuddalore, who was working as a manager at the fuel station, was murdered by the gang in a case of mistaken identity.
The petrol bunk owner Prakash was the real target of the gang.
According to a senior police official, a gang led by Azhar, a historysheeter, attempted to extort money from Mr. Prakash last year. When he refused to heed to the demand, the gang created a ruckus inside the pump and attempted to hurl country-made bombs at his house. However, it turned out to be his neighbour’s house.
Azhar and his associates were arrested by the police on a complaint lodged by Mr. Prakash. The gang decided to take revenge and planned to murder him. A gang led by Muthukumar reached the petrol pump in a car on February 4 and enquired whether the bunk’s owner was available in his cabin.
When employees said he was present in the cabin, the gang rushed into his office and hurled three country-made bombs at Srinivasan, who was the only person in the cabin.
The assailants later attacked him with weapons, killing him on the spot. The accused were produced before a local court and remanded in custody.