Madurai, May 25:
A 17-year-old boy was brutally hacked to death by a five-member gang near the vehicle parking area close to the Meenakshi Amman Temple in the early hours of Monday, sending shockwaves across the city.
According to police, the victim was asleep at a Madurai Corporation-owned parking facility when the assailants entered the premises armed with sickles and other deadly weapons. The gang allegedly carried out a sudden and violent attack around dawn, killing the teenager on the spot before fleeing.
Police rushed to the scene upon receiving information, recovered the body, and sent it for postmortem examination. A detailed investigation led to the arrest of all five accused, including a youth identified as Muthumani.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the murder was likely the result of prior enmity linked to a dispute during the recent Chithirai Festival celebrations. Police sources said the victim and the main accused had clashed during the festival, which may have triggered the attack.
Officials also stated that the deceased boy allegedly had multiple criminal cases pending against him. Further investigation is underway to establish the full sequence of events leading to the murder.