Chennai, Jul 10 (IANS): Tension prevailed in Chengalpattu area in Tamil Nadu after a local leader of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) was hacked to death on Sunday.

The deceased, identified as Nagaraj (47), was the PMK's town secretary in Chengalpattu and a local flower merchant. Police said that a gang of nine persons came on two-wheelers, and hacked the PMK leader to death with knives on Sunday night, when he was returning home after shutting his shop.

Relatives and functionaries of PMK staged a protest in the Grand Southern Trunk Road and refused to accept the body. The protestors also shouted slogans demanding justice from the state police.

Special police team are on the hunt for culprits and one of the assailants was arrested near the Paranur town plaza in the wee hours on Monday. Police sources told IANS that when the police surrounded the assailant, he tried to attack them and they had to fire on his legs and took him into custody.

The suspect is identified as Ajay (24), who has eight criminal cases pending against him including two murder charges. Police said that some more suspects are in their custody.

Chengalpattu Superintendent of Police, V.V. Sai Praneeth, and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Kancheepuram, P. Pakalavan are leading the police operations.