Chennai, Jun 27 (IANS): The husband of a Panchayat President in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore was hacked to death by a group of people as he was returning home from a temple on Tuesday morning, police said.

The incident occurred in Manjakuppam in Cuddalore.

Police said that as per eye witness accounts, six men on motorbikes, waylaid J. Mathiazhagan, 45, and attacked him. He tried to run towards his home but the assailants pounced upon him and attacked him with sickles, machettes and swords, and he was killed instantly.

Mathiazhagan, whose face was mutilated beyond recognition, was the husband of Gundu Uppalavadi Panchayat President, Shanthi.

Previous enmity seems to be the reason behind the motive, police said, adding that Mathiazhagan was an accused in the murder of Madivannan in Thazhangadu in 2020.

Earlier, Madivannan’s sister Masilamani and Mathiazhagan’s wife Shanthi had contested elections for the post of Panchayat President and Shanthi had won the polls. The rivalry commenced from then and this led to the murder of Madivannan in 2020. Mathiazhagan was the prime accused in the case and was charged under Goonda Act.

A strong contingent of police is camping in the area to prevent any further untoward incidents.