A former panchayat president, along with three of his relatives, allegedly hacked a young man to death near Thanjavur on Saturday to avenge the murder of his daughter five months earlier. The incident occurred in Melakalakudi village.
Details of the Incident
The victim, identified as K Ajith Kumar, 29, was a painter from Melakalakudi near Mariammankoil in Thanjavur district. He had allegedly been in a relationship with P Kaviya, 26, a temporary teacher at the government primary school in Alangudi. In November 2025, Kaviya's parents arranged her engagement to her aunt's son. A few days later, Kaviya informed Ajith Kumar about the engagement and showed him photos, which left him enraged.
On November 27, 2025, when Kaviya was on her way to school, Ajith Kumar confronted her and attacked her with a knife, resulting in her death on the spot. The Ammapettai police arrested him for the murder, and a trial had recently commenced in the sub-magistrate's court in Papanasam.
Bail and Revenge Attack
Ajith Kumar was released on bail approximately one month ago. Upon learning of his release, Kaviya's father, M Punniyamoorthy, 53, a former panchayat president of Alangudi, became agitated. Around 2 am on Saturday, Punniyamoorthy, accompanied by his relatives M Logesh, 22, and D Ramalingam, 30, both from Kannithoppu, and A Karuppaiya, 55, of Pulavarnatham, broke into Ajith Kumar's house while he was sleeping. The four men allegedly hacked him to death with billhooks.
Surrender and Investigation
Following the murder, the four men surrendered at the Ammapettai police station. The Melathur police recovered the body and sent it to the Thanjavur Government Medical College Hospital for postmortem. They registered a case and began investigations.
This case highlights the cycle of violence that can arise from personal vendettas, even after the legal system has taken its course. The community remains in shock as authorities continue their inquiry.
