Chennai, May 26 (BPNS)

The Greater Chennai Police have constituted special teams to nab the killers of BJP leader Balachander who was hacked to death by a three-member team on Tuesday night in full public view. The slain BJP leader was the district secretary of the Scheduled Caste Morcha of the BJP in Chennai South.

Police said that the assassins of Balachander were identified and they were Pradeep (25), a history-sheeter with more than ten criminal cases against him, his brother Sanjay and their associate Kalaivanan.

According to police, Balachander had undergone a prison term recently and was involved in six criminal cases and a personal grudge was the reason behind his murder. His name was withdrawn from the list of history sheeters in 2020 and he had joined BJP recently and was given the post of district secretary of the SC Morcha of the party.

Balachander’s brother was running a textile shop and had a quarrel with Pradeep due to some money transaction issue. Both Balachander and his brother filed a police complaint against Pradeep and he was arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Pradeep, according to police had come out of prison a week ago and was nursing a grudge against Balachander for landing him in prison.

Balachander had a Personal Security Officer (PSO), Balamurugan who was appointed after the BJP leader had complained that he was facing threat to his life and require security.

The assailants pounced on Balachander on Tuesday night when his PSO, Balamurugan had gone for a cup of tea. Balamurugan who had failed to protect Balachander is suspended by the Tamil Nadu police.

Police said that special teams are constituted to arrest the culprits in the Balachander murder case.

A senior police officer with the Greater Chennai Corporation while speaking to BPNS said, “ The police have constituted special teams to nab the culprits and we have identified them and will soon arrest them.”