A 32-year-old man from Karaikal, who was previously associated with various political parties, was murdered near Mayiladuthurai on Friday afternoon. Police suspect the murder may be a retaliatory act linked to a past murder case.

The victim, identified as H. Manimaran, 32, and a resident of Thirunallar in Karaikal district, and a member of Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, was travelling from Mayiladuthurai to Karaikal in a car when he was intercepted near a College under the Sembanarkoil police station around 3.30 p.m.

A group of assailants travelling in another vehicle blocked Manimaran’s car and attacked him with sharp weapons. He died on the spot and the killers fled the spot. The body was sent to Tiruvarur Government Hospital for postmortem.

Following the murder, Mayiladuthurai police have formed five special teams to nab the culprits.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Manimaran was the prime accused in the 2021 murder of Deva Mani, a resident of the same area in Thirunallar, reportedly over a land dispute. That case is under trial.