Chennai, March 19 -- In a shocking incident a notorious rowdy was hacked to death in broad daylight by an unidentified gang, four members of which were immediately arrested by the police after opening fire at them, in Erode district of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

Reports received here said the rowdy identified as John alias Chanakya was murdered by the armed gang at around noon at Nasiyanur on the Salem-Coimbatore National Highway.

A native of Salem, John has since shifted to Tiruppur district where he was running a finance company offering vehicle loans.

After signing at a police station in Salem as part of bail conditions, John was returning to Tiruppur along with his wife Saranya in their car, when the gang which was following the...