COIMBATORE: A 34-year-old labourer, who was brutally assaulted by a gang near Periyanaickenpalayam in Coimbatore district on Aug 17, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Coimbatore Medical College Hospital on Wednesday night. Police arrested four men in connection with his death.The deceased was identified as V Pradeep, 34, of JJ Nagar in Vellamadai near Periyanaickenpalayam. Pradeep Kumar was staying with his parents.According to police, on Monday night, a few people from Vellamadai Poonga Nagar summoned Pradeep Kumar to a vacant plot near a private garden in Samanaickenpalayam area where they brutally assaulted him, leaving him critically injured.Passersby, who saw Pradeep in a pool of blood, rescued him and sent him to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. Based on a complaint filed by his mother, Girija, Periyanaickenpalayam police initially registered an attempt-to-murder case against S Karthik, 44, S Prakash, 26, B Harikrishnan, 23, of Samanaickenpalayam and M Siva, 24 from Madurai district.After battling for his life for three days, Pradeep Kumar died in the hospital. Following his death, Periyanaickenpalayam police altered the case to murder.Initial investigation revealed that an argument arose between Pradeep and Prakash after the former got latter’s phone and did not return it. Enraged, Prakash along with three other accused assaulted him.
