Chennai: Construction worker kills mason over unpaid daily wages

CHENNAI: A construction worker murdered his employer, a mason, for not paying salary due to him near Thalambur in the city outskirts on Friday night.


Police said 31-year-old Ragothaman, a native of Konalavadi village near Thirukovilur in Kallakurichi district, has been working as a mason at a construction site for the past six months.

On Friday night, Ragothaman was drinking with one of his workers, 39-year-old Ramesh of Ponmar, when the incident happened.

During the drinking session, Ramesh had asked Ragothaman to pay up the salary dues of the past three days. Ragothaman had brushed aside the issue and told Ramesh that he will be paid later, said police.

Enraged over this, Ramesh picked up an argument and attacked Ragothaman with a knife, leaving the latter with several cut injuries. Ramesh then walked down the Navalur-Thalambur road with the weapon in hand. Alarmed by this, people alerted police, who secured Ramesh. Police sources said he confessed to the crime after which Ragothaman was moved to a hospital nearby, where he was declared brought dead.

Police said Ragothaman has a murder case pending back in Ulundhurpet police limits, where he was booked for the murder of his first wife. The Thalambur police have registered a case of murder and arrested Ramesh. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in custody.