Chennai: Four inmates of Puzhal Central Prison were transferred to other jails on Sunday, after prison officials uncovered a ₹1 crore deal to murder Vellai Kali, a rowdy, inside the prison, with ₹25 lakh reportedly paid in advance to carry out the killing. Sources said prison authorities received intelligence about the plot and launched an inquiry. The probe revealed that Lali Manikandan, a rowdy from Kumbakonam in Thanjavur, along with three convicts — Ajay, Sivalaperi, and Rehman from southern districts, had planned to attack and kill Vellai Kali at an isolated spot inside the prison on Sunday.Alerted by the intelligence, prison officials separated the four inmates and questioned them individually, bringing the conspiracy to light. Following the inquiry, Lali Manikandan was transferred to Salem Central Prison, while the three other inmates were shifted to Cuddalore Central Prison.Senior prison department officials are conducting a detailed investigation into the conspiracy.Vellai Kali, a notorious rowdy from Madurai, is serving a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted in a ganja trafficking case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. He was convicted by a special court in 2022.Kali, the nephew of a former AIADMK functionary, has been involved in a two-decade-long gang rivalry with a faction led by a DMK functionary. The feud over area dominance and extortion has claimed more than 20 lives. Kali is also the prime accused in the 2019 murder of a DMK functionary and is suspected of orchestrating retaliatory attacks from prison.In Jan this year, Kali survived another murder attempt near Perambalur while being escorted by police to Puzhal Central Prison.
