In a shocking crime, Tiruvannamalai police have arrested two youth, including a 19-year-old from Cheyyar, for the abduction and murder of their 22-year-old friend, S Silk alias Gemini, on March 28, 2025. The motive behind the crime was said to be previous enmity between the victim and the suspects.
The arrested individuals have been identified as I Sunil alias Agni (19) and Karthi, along with Arun Kumar, Bangalorean, and Dilip Kumar, who are currently absconding. According to police sources, Gemini, a funeral van driver in Cheyyar, had allegedly damaged a motorbike belonging to one of Agni’s associates. Gemini had also reportedly assaulted Agni with a knife, sparking a series of retaliatory actions. In retaliation, Agni and his accomplices set fire to the victim’s funeral van, the police revealed.
Gemini’s father, Saravanan, had previously filed a complaint with the Cheyyar police, accusing the suspects of forcing his son into drug abuse. Two days after Gemini went missing, he filed a follow-up complaint, suspecting foul play.
On March 30, the police arrested Agni, who was found in an inebriated state. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the crime, stating that he and his associates abducted Gemini on March 28, stabbed him to death, and dumped his body in Lake Pullarambakkam. Following the confession, the police recovered the victim’s decomposed body and sent it for an autopsy at the Government Hospital in Tiruvannamalai.
On April 1, the police arrested Karthi, and a search operation is ongoing for the other three absconding suspects.
A case has been registered under sections 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 140(1) (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder or for ransom) of the BNS.
The incident has sparked political criticism, with Opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami condemning the ruling government for failing to control the drug menace in the state. However, police officials stated that they would wait for the autopsy report before drawing any conclusions regarding the role of drugs in the murder. An ongoing investigation aims to uncover the full details of the crime.
