Murder accused undergoing treatment in Madurai hospital’s ICU hacked to death

MADURAI: A 40-year-old man getting treatment for kidney stones in an intensive cares unit at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai was hacked to death by a four-member gang on Monday morning.
The murder took place in an ICU in ward number 101.
The murdered man has been identified as V Murugan of Karumbalai in Madurai city. He is survived by wife Mahalakshmi and two children.
According to police sources, a gang carrying sharp weapons entered the annexure building of GRH around 5.30am and hacked Murugan to death.
The daring incident sent shivers among other patients and their attenders in the hospital building. Security posted in the ward alerted police. However, the gang members managed to escape before police reached.
Higher officials, including deputy commissioner of police (law and order) E Karthick, reached the spot and conducted an inquiry.
There are more than 10 CCTV cameras in and around the ward, and the footages from them were being checked by police.
GRH is the busiest hospital in southern Tamil Nadu with a total of more than 2,500 beds in the old building and the annex building.
Police said the murder could be due to a previous motive. Murugan was one of the accused in the murder of one Rajasekaran in July 2019. Chandru from Karumbalai was the primary accused in that case.
A few months ago, a gang tried to murder Chandru. Unidentified people hurled a petrol bomb at Chandru’s house. He was not in the house then.
The role of Rajasekaran’s wife was under investigation in connection with the murder of Murugan, said police officials.
The Madhichiyam police registered a case.