Man murdered near Sholinghur for refusing part with his mobile phone

37-year-old wage labourer murdered near Sholinghur town; police investigating, family demands justice, culprits still at large.

A 37-year-old wage labourer was murdered by unidentified persons at Karikkanthangal village near Sholinghur town on Wednesday.

The police said the deceased hds been identified as K. Devaraj, who worked as a wage labourer in a private cement factory near Arakkonam. The incident occurred when Devaraj, father of two children, was returning late from work. He was walking near a lake when he was stopped by a few unidentified persons, who were consuming liquor on the roadside. They asked Devaraj for his mobile phone to make a call but he refused to give it to them.

Angered by this, the gang tried to snatch the phone from him by attacking him with sharp weapons. As Devaraj cried for help, the gang fled the spot. Residents and passersby shifted him to the Government Taluk Hospital in Sholinghur town where doctors said that he was dead on arrival. A case was registered by Sholinghur town police. Meanwhile, family members, relatives and residents blocked the Sholinghur-Arakkonam Main Road, demanding immediate arrest of culprits. Police pacified agitated residents, who later dispersed.