Thrissur: A criminal who was facing charges in murder cases was hacked to death at Poochatty here on Sunday night. The deceased is Satheesh (48), a native of Nadathara. Police arrested three people over suspected involvement in the murder. 

People found Satheesh in a pool of blood on the road near Poochatty school around 11.30 pm on Sunday. A native told Manorama News that people alerted police and called ambulance thinking that he was injured in a road accident. Satheesh succumbed to his injuries before police took him to the hospital.

It is learnt that an altercation between Satheesh and  Jomon, one of the accused during a birthday party at a bar led to the murder. After the issue, Jomon and two of his friends arranged a meeting with Satheesh for conciliatory talks. But the trio attacked Satheesh with a machete.

Satheesh is booked in the murders of goon leader Chapli Biju and Malankara Varghese. Ollur police said that criminal cases are also registered against the accused Jomon. A forensic team will visit the crime scene for evidence collection on Monday.