Nedumbassery: Five people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a gang leader at Athani Junction here in Kerala's Ernakulam district on Sunday night.

The arrested are Akhil (25), his brother Nikhil (22), Arun (22), Justin (28) and Jijish (38).

The five who have been arrested now are all conspirators, said the cops.

Thuruthissery-native Binoy, alias Gillappi, was hacked with sharp weapons in front of a restaurant-cum-bar at Athani on Sunday night in full public view.

It was Akhil who bought the assailants to Athani and took them back after the attack, and the conspiracy to murder Binoy was hatched at Akhil's house, the police said.

After confirming that Binoy was at Athani, the assailants reached there and hacked him to death.

According to police sources, the first three accused in the chilling crime have fled to Tamil Nadu.

The police are on the hunt for them who have been identified as Vinu Vikraman, Lal Kichu and Grintesh.

A machete used by the attackers was recovered from a drain along a stretch of the National Highway near the site. It was recovered based on the information provided by those arrested.

Binoy's body will be buried at St George Jacobite Church, Nedumbassery, on Tuesday afternoon. His mortal remains were shifted to the morgue at Ernakulam Medical College Hospital after an autopsy on Monday.

The murder is being probed by a team led by Ernakulam (rural) SP K Karthik and Aluva DySP G Venu. The 30-member team includes CIs from Aluva West, Nedumbassery, Ankamaly and Edathala; and SIs from Aluva, Nedumbassery, Paravoor and Chengamanad.