Express News Service By

CHENNAI: A gang of unidentified men hacked a Hindu Munnani leader to death at Ambattur Industrial Estate on Wednesday night, leading to protests by the cadre. The incident happened right next to the office of the Joint Commissioner of Police (West).

K P Suresh, 48, the Thiruvallur East district president of the Hindu Munnani, was closing his STD booth on MTH Road around 9:30 pm when a bike-borne gang of three attacked him, inflicting serious injuries to his face, neck and body. Ravi, a juice shop owner who witnessed the attack and ran to help him was also attacked, causing a deep cut to his hand.

A passerby who saw the incident took Suresh in an auto-rickshaw to the Sundaram Medical Foundation Hospital, but he died without responding to treatment. Ravi has also been admitted to the hospital. Doctors said he was in shock.

Enraged by the murder of their leader, over 100 irate cadre of the outfit staged protest outside the hospital, blocking road twice demanding immediate action against the culprits. At one stage they even refused to let the ambulance move without the police initiating action. The body was sent to KMC for autopsy. Suresh, originally a native of Kanyakumari, was staying at Mannurpet. He is survived by wife Bhuvana and two children. more: P2