Dairy farmer found murdered

A dairy farmer was found murdered in his sleep at a farm near T. Saveriarpuram near here in the early hours of Friday.

Police said K. Antonymuthu, 62, of T. Saveriarpuram under Thaalamuthunagar police station limits, who sold a portion of his land at JJ Nagar to Natarajan, 60, of Krishnarajapuram under Thoothukudi north police station limits, was running the dairy farm on the remaining portion of his land.

Since Antonymuthu, a former palmyra climber, had built compound wall around his land, Natarajan, who had purchased the land from Antonymuthu, reportedly used the common wall for building his house.

Opposing it, Antonymuthu reportedly told Natarajan that he should give him more money if he wanted to use the common wall as part of his new house. As this argument triggered an argument between Antonymuthu and Natarajan, a complaint was filed with the Thalamuthu Nagar police, who reportedly asked them to abide by the norms being followed everywhere and settle the dispute amicably.

Against this backdrop, unidentified persons stabbed Antonymuthu to death even as he was sleeping in his dairy farm on Thursday night.

The Thalamuthu Nagar police, who suspected that Natarajan and his son Mariselvam might have murdered Antonymuthu, started searching for the duo. While Natarjan is still at large, Mariselvam surrendered before the First Judicial Magistrate Court at Kovilpatti. Magistrate Muralidharan remanded him in judicial custody till December 10.