Five Arrested for Murder in Chennai; Gang Targets BJP Functionary’s Home

In a troubling incident in Chennai, five suspects were apprehended by the Pallikaranai police for the murder of a 27-year-old man, R. Prashanth, on the night of Sunday, October 22, 2023. Prashanth, who had been unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was supported by his father, an autorickshaw driver, and had recently acquired a high-end motorbike.

The murder was allegedly triggered by an altercation between Prashanth and a friend he had allowed to ride the bike, resulting in a heated exchange. Prashanth left home after receiving a call on that fateful night and did not return. His body was later discovered on a vacant plot of land, alongside his damaged motorbike. The police arrested five individuals, Sarath Kumar, Iman, Shakil, Thilak, and Kumar, on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, stating that the murder was committed due to Prashanth’s insult to his friend.

In a separate incident, a gang of 15 men targeted the residence of BJP functionary Madhanagopal, also known as Pallu Madhan, aged 44, in Mayilai Balaji Nagar, Pallikaranai, on the evening of Tuesday, October 24, 2023. Pallu Madhan had a criminal history, as he had been involved in prior criminal cases. The gang, looking for Madhan, pushed his wife and threatened her as he was not at home, before leaving after throwing a petrol bomb at the house. An investigation has been initiated into this incident.