KUZHITHURAI: A Youth Congress leader was hacked to death by a six-member gang in Thiruvattaru in Kanyakumari district. The deceased is Jackson (37), son of Chinnappan, a native of Bharathapalli in Thiruvattaru. The incident took place on Saturday at around 8:30 pm.

On Saturday night, Jackson was sitting at his house when he received a phone call. After talking on the phone for some time, he went in front of the Church near his house. After some time, a group of six men reached there on two bikes and attacked him after talking to him. They hacked him using sickles and beat him with iron rods. The accused fled the spot when the locals gathered after hearing the screams.

The locals first rushed Jackson to a private hospital in Attoor. However, the doctor who examined him advised them to take him to another hospital. Following this, he was taken to a private hospital in Neyyattinkara. Jackson died that night while undergoing treatment there. The body was shifted to Asaripallam Medical College Hospital in Nagercoil. Police have registered a case. Jackson's wife is Ushakumari, a councillor in Thiruvattaru 10th ward. He has two daughters.

The police found that an old rivalry was behind the murder. Jackson had a quarrel with another person in December last year. Both had filed complaints at Thiruvattaru station. District Police Chief Sundaravadanam said that the accused will be arrested soon. 5 special teams have been appointed to nab the accused.