Suryanarayan, father of actress Vishnu Priya, was allegedly murdered during a robbery at his residence in Kodaikanal, sending shockwaves through the film fraternity.
Police sources said a gang of five persons reportedly entered the house and restrained Suryanarayan by making him sit on a chair and taping his face. He is suspected to have died of suffocation at the scene.
The accused allegedly decamped with gold jewellery, cash, CCTV equipment and hard disks from the premises before fleeing.
Vishnu Priya is known for her role in the 2005 Tamil film Mayavi, starring Suriya and Jyothika, in which she portrayed a differently abled character and earned recognition for her performance.
Police have registered a case and launched an intensive investigation to trace the suspects. Further inquiries are under way.
