A court here has awarded double life imprisonment to five persons in the murder of Shencottai area Congress president in 2015.According to Additional Public Prosecutor S. Velusamy, K. Samidurai, 59, of Thalaivankottai in the district was living in Achanpudur with his second wife Jothi after leaving the first wife Vellaiduraichi of Thalaivankottai. As Samidurai had reportedly gifted a car to Vellaiduraichi, he took the car to his house in Achanpudur after started living with Jothi.When he failed to repay the car loan properly, the finance firm, which had given loan for the vehicle, tried to confiscate the car. However, the attempts failed due to the resistance by Samidurai and his associates.As the finance firm sought the help of Shencottai area Congress president Rajagopal of Achanpudur to recover the car, he helped the company to take possession of the vehicle.Agitated over this, Samidurai and his associates kidnapped Rajagopal in a car even as he was walking towards his house on August 12, 2015. After murdering Rajagopal, they took the body to Murikulam on Thaazhaiyooththu – Kanniyakumari National Highway, where they chopped off the head in a bid to destroy the identity of the deceased. After burning the body at Murikkulam, they burnt the head near Kakkan Nagar flyover.Though the Palayamkottai police registered two cases initially in connection with the recovery of the half-burnt trunk and the head, the cases were later transferred to Achanpudur, where the crime had originally taken place.The Achanpudur police arrested Samidurai and his associates S. Ayyappan, 44, of Chokkampatti, M. Ramar, 54, of Thirikoodapuram, P. Muthuraj alias Raj, 39, of Thalaivankottai and P. Subbaiah Pandian, 45, of Vasudevanallur in connection with the murder of Rajagopal.District Additional Sessions Judge Manoj Kumar awarded on Friday double life imprisonment to the fivesome for kidnapping and murdering Rajagopal and imposed a fine of ₹25,000 each on them. Published - July 10, 2026 06:25 pm IST