Tamil Nadu Shocker! History-Sheeter Brutally Hacked to Death on Erode Highway

A 35-year-old history-sheeter, identified as John alias Chanakya, was hacked to death by a gang on the Salem-Coimbatore National Highway near Nasiyanur in Erode district on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

The brazen attack, which also left his wife Saranya injured, sparked chaos among commuters and prompted a swift police response, culminating in the arrest of four suspects after a dramatic confrontation.

John, a resident of Kitchipalayam in Salem, had a long criminal record, including attempted murder charges across multiple police stations. Recently relocated to Periya Palayam in Tiruppur district, where he ran a vehicle loan finance company, he was returning from a routine sign-in at Annadanapatti police station in Salem when the assault occurred.

Around midday, an eight-member gang in a Maruti car tailed the couple’s vehicle, rammed it from behind, and forced John to stop. As he stepped out, the assailants attacked, hacking him to death with machetes. Saranya, 32, sustained injuries while trying to shield her husband and was rushed to a private hospital in Nasiyanur.

The killing triggered panic on the busy highway, with traffic grinding to a halt. Erode Superintendent of Police G. Jawahar arrived at the scene to oversee the investigation, as Chithode police cordoned off the area and sent John’s body for autopsy at Government Erode Medical College and Hospital in Perundurai.

Hours later, Bhavani DSP Rathinakumar tracked the fleeing suspects to Pachapali in Erode city. When the gang resisted arrest, police opened fire, injuring four in the legs. The apprehended suspects were admitted to the same hospital in Perundurai, with plans to transfer them to Coimbatore GH for further treatment. Four others remain at large.

Police suspect the motive stems from John’s criminal past, though specifics are yet to emerge. The arrested suspects’ identities are withheld pending further inquiry.