Man kills 83 year old, flees with Rs 7.8 Lakhs

Chennai: Aided by a postmortem report and diary notes of an 83-year-old vehicle financier, Duraisamy, who was found dead in bathroom in his house in Alandur three months ago, Chennai police found that he was murdered for money by one of his employees. Five persons allegedly involved in the murder were held. Duraisamy was living alone at his house after his wife’s death. The gang headed by his employee Sathish Kannan, 41, of Velachery, strangled him to death and fled with away Rs 7.8 lakh cash from his house.

“Sathish had already borrowed Rs 9 lakh from him in two installments and had not repaid the amount. His relationship with Duraisamy was strained because of the loan deal between the two,” the police said. As he failed to repay the borrowed amount Duraisamy threatened him with the possibility of a police complaint, they said. On March 8, Sathish Kannan along with his hired gang of four from Kovilampakkam, went to Duraisamy’s house as if he was introducing new clients. But they strangled him to death and left the body in the bathroom.

They later took the cash from the house. Sathish paid around Rs 2 lakh to the gang members, sources said. Duraisamy’s son who is also into the vehicle financing business, sent food for him daily. The senior gentleman’s granddaughter who brought the lunch for him found him dead in the bathroom. Preliminary investigation led to the belief that Samy may have died of natural causes.But the postmortem report pointed out that he died of strangulation. Thereafter, the police launched into a detailed probe and scanned through all the available documents at home.

One of his diary had notes about Sathish Kannan borrowing money to the tune of '9 lakh to start two failed initiatives  a travel agency and a bakery, sources said.Last week police zeroed on him and arrested Sathish Kannan and four of his men identified as Raju, Mani, Sathya and Raja from Kovilampakkam.