Shooting victim dies after 2 months

L Manikumar (32), a realtor who was shot at on October 9 in Maduravoyal, died at a private hospital on Friday morning.

Manikumar succumbed to injuries around 4 am at a private hospital. Police said the death could have been caused by secondary complications. The actual cause of death would be known only after the results of post mortem were received.

He was allegedly shot by ‘Minnal’ D Antony (36), a native of Kulasekarapatinam in Tirunelveli, who was later arrested on charges of attempt to murder and was lodged in Puzhal prison since October 12.

Antony had not been granted bail in that case, which was altered to a murder case after Manikumar’s death. Police had seized a country-made pistol and some bullets from Antony following his arrest. Antony had told the police that he had shot at him due to personal enmity.

Antony saw Manikumar near his house at Krishna Nagar in Maduravoyal, when the broker came to meet his friends Chandru, Bharat and Prasanth Reddy. Antony, who had old scores to settle with rivals at Kulasekarapatinam, suspected that Manikumar could be a member of a rival gang.

He decided to eliminate Manikumar. On the fateful day, he saw Manikumar waiting on the road close to his house for more than an hour. Antony questioned Manikumar which led to a quarrel. Antony rushed into his house, came out with a gun and opened fire on Manikumar. He was hit in the abdomen.

“History sheet against Antony had been opened in Kulasekarapatnam in 2000 itself and he was involved in a kidnap case along with ‘Rocket’ Raja reported in Salem in 2006. He had confessed that he  got this pistol through ‘Rocket’ Raja,” a senior police officer said. “He buried his past and had become a movie financier and an actor in small budget films. He was also into real estate”, the officer added.

“Antony was also involved in the murder of a Devar Peravai community leader ‘Katta’ Durai at an STD booth in Egmore in 2001. He was also an accomplice of slain gangsters Venkatesa Pannaiyar and ‘Rocket’ Raja, who were also involved in that murder. Antony is the producer of the Tamil movie ‘Yathi’ in which he plays the hero,” the official added.