Gang hurls bombs,hacks Cong functionary to death in Puducherry

A Congress functionary was killed when an unidentified gang hurled crude bombs and hacked him to death near here, police said on Friday. V Sambasivam, 35, a staunch supporter of Puducherry welfare minister M Kandasamy, was proceeding in his car to invite some people for a family function when the assailants hurled the bombs.

When Sambasivam, who was injured, came out of the vehicle, the gang surrounded and hacked him to death, police said. The incident occurred near a government primary school at Krimambakkam village. After seeing that he was dead, the assailants fled on three motorcycles. Villagers staged a sit-in on the road demanding immediate arrest of the assailants, disrupting vehicular traffic for 45 minutes. A senior police official assured them that steps would be taken to nab the culprits following which they dispersed.

A special team under Superintendent of Police Zinda Kothandaraman has been set up to probe the incident.

Police were maintaining tight vigil at Krimambakkam village and in neighbouring hamlets to prevent any untoward incidents.