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Two temple security guards were found murdered in an apparent robbery attempt at a temple in Virudhunagar district, on Tuesday, November 10. Police have arrested one of the accused and are searching for another. Nagaraj (25) was taken into custody on Wednesday, November 12, by the Seithur police in Rajapalayam. His accomplice, identified as Muniswami, is currently absconding.
The victims, Pechi Muthu (50) and S Sankara Pandian (65), both employed as security guards at the Nachadai Thavirtharuliya Swami Temple, were discovered dead with injuries on Tuesday morning. The bodies were found by another guard, Madasamy, who had arrived to relieve them from duty.
According to Ramesh Kannan, Inspector of Seithur Police Station, the arrest was made following a tip-off. “We received information about the suspect’s whereabouts and recovered part of the stolen property from a remote forest area near Asayamani Vilakku in Puliyanthope,” he said. “When we attempted to arrest the accused, he tried to flee and attacked the police. A shootout ensued, and he was apprehended.”
Nagaraj sustained a gunshot injury to his leg and was taken for medical examination.
The temple premises were equipped with eight CCTV cameras, but the accused had allegedly destroyed them and stolen the Digital Video Recorder (DVR) containing the footage.
Five special teams have been formed to investigate the case, and forensic experts have been deployed. The Seithur police have registered a case for murder and theft, along with provisions of the Tamil Nadu Public Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act, 1992.
The bodies were sent to the Government Hospital, Rajapalayam, for post-mortem examination and later handed over to their families.
Following the incident, AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami criticised the ruling DMK government, alleging a breakdown of law and order in the state. “The puppet Chief Minister is fully responsible for the collapse of the law and order situation,” he said. BJP state president Nainar Nagendran and PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss also condemned the incident.