Man, son held in connection with death of farmer in Vellore

A 65-year-old retired soldier and his son were arrested by the Veppamkuppam police in Vellore on Thursday for causing the death of a farmer over a dispute over a common road to access their farmland.

Police said the arrested persons have been identified as K. Selvakumar, 65, a retired army personnel, and his son S. Santhosh, 28. Selvakumar lived with his family in his native village of Kallurpettai, which falls under Odugathur village panchayat in the foothills of Jawadhu Hills in Vellore.

Initial investigation revealed that Selvakumar owns ancestral land on the outskirts of the village where he along with his family members has been cultivating paddy field since his retirement.

Police said the deceased farmer and his neighbor R. Venkatesan (62) also had agricultural land adjoining Selvakumar’s plot. The two families had a long-standing dispute over securing a common road to reach their farmland.

The police said that Selvakumar again had an argument with Venkatesan over the provision of land for a joint road. When Venkatesan refused to accede to the demand, the duo came to blows. Santhosh rushed to his father’s aid and Venkatesan was beaten leaving him badly injured.

Family members and relatives rushed Venkatesan to the primary health center in Odugathur, where a doctor said he was brought dead. A case has been registered and the arrested persons have been lodged in Vellore Central Jail. Another probe is underway.

Published – 03 Jul 2026 0:44 IST