A DMK functionary in Chennai was brutally killed in Anna Nagar on Wednesday night by a mob and while some of the assailants behind the crime had surrendered, the police have launched a manhunt to nab the suspects who are at large. 

According to reports, the deceased was identified as Sampath Kumar, a resident of TP Chathiram, and he was doing a business of supplying water cans in the locality. Sampath Kumar was a ward-level DMK functionary and he was travelling on his two-wheeler at around 9 pm on Wednesday in Anna Nagar during which a mob had barricaded him. The group of men had then pushed Sampath Kumar to the ground and brutally attacked him with machetes. 

The gang had fled the spot, leaving Sampath Kumar in a bloodbath. The reports say Anna Nagar police officers had reached the spot after they were informed about the crime by a passerby. The officials identified that the DMK functionary has died on the spot and his body was later sent to perform an autopsy. The police had registered a case into the crime based on the complaint moved by Sampath Kumar's son, Gopinath. 

While the police are conducting the probe, four accused - Hari Kumar (21), Sridharan (25), Mohanavel (21), and Naveen Kumar (24) had surrendered before the police. These four belong to TP Chathiram, the same locality where Sampath Kumar belonged. Based on the probe, the police had then arrested Vinayagam (47) and his wife Karpagam (41) and the officials had also seized weapons from them. 

During the investigation, it came to the revelation that Sampath Kumar had a dispute with Vinayagam, who was the former's neighbour. Kumar had informed the police that a criminal, identified as Lenin, was present in the area and Vinayagam had provided refuge to Lenin. When Sampath Kumar informed the police about the location of Lenin, it has troubled Vinayagam and he and his wife Karpagam had plotted to kill Sampath Kumar after which they followed Kumar and on Wednesday, the gang had attacked and killed him. As Lenin as his associates had absconded, the police had launched a manhunt to nab them.