A 65-year-old retired army man and his son were arrested by Veppamkuppam police in Vellore on Thursday for causing the death of a farmer over a dispute on a common pathway to reach their agricultural lands.
Police said that the arrested persons were identified as K. Selvakumar, 65, a retired army personnel, and his son S. Santhosh, 28. Selvakumar was living with his family in his native Kallurpettai hamlet that comes under the Odugathur village panchayat at the foothills of Jawadhu Hills in Vellore.
Initial inquiry revealed that Selvakumar owns ancestral land on the outskirts of the village where, along with his family members, he has been cultivating paddy since his retirement.
Police said the deceased farmer and his neighbour, R. Venkatesan, 62, also had agricultural land adjacent to Selvakumar’s land. Both families had a long-standing dispute over providing a common pathway to reach their farmlands.
Police said that Selvakumar again had an argument with Venkatesan over providing land for a common pathway. As Venkatesan refused to accede to the demand, the duo came to blows. Santhosh rushed to help his father, and they beat up Venkatesan, leaving him badly injured.
Family members and relatives rushed Venkatesan to the primary health centre in Odugathur, where the doctor said that he was brought dead. A case was registered, and the arrested persons were lodged at Central Prison in Vellore. Further probe is underway.
Published – July 03, 2026 12:44 am IST
