Coimbatore: The Mettupalayam police are on the lookout for a four-member gang that kidnapped a 23-year-old Rathinapuri resident and thrashed him, leading to his death.
The deceased was identified as R Manikandan of Nallampalayam Road at Rathinapuri. He was an electrician and used to peddle ganja, a police officer said.
The gang had knocked on Manikandan’s door around 11.30am on January 25. When his mother R Meena opened the door, the gang members introduced themselves as cops from the Thudiyalur police station, barged into the house and took Manikandan with them. Meena approached the Thudiyalur police the next day, but the cops told her that they had not secured Manikandan.
On January 27, the Mettupalayam police received information from the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) that Manikandan was admitted there with injuries. He was discharged on January 28. When cops contacted the injured Manikandan, he told them that he didn’t want to file a complaint. Manikandan was admitted to a private hospital with chest pain on January 29. He passed away on Thursday.
“Preliminary inquiry revealed that Manikandan was in love with a Rathinapuri-based woman. A few months ago, when he was jailed for peddling ganja, she married another man. After getting bail, Manikandan met her husband Suresh and asked him to divorce her. He also threatened Suresh with dire consequences if he refused to do so. Suresh kidnapped Manikandan with the help of his friends, took him to Mettupalayam and beat him up before releasing him,” the officer said
The Mettupalayam police have registered a murder case against Suresh and his three friends.