Om Bahadur, a 40-year old guard to the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s Kodanadu tea estate was found murdered late on Sunday night. Another guard, Kishore Bahadur, was found injured at the crime scene by the workers of the estate and was rushed to the hospital.

The murdered guard’s mouth was stuffed with cloth and taped. The estate is spread across 900-acres of land in the Nilgiris district. Jayalalithaa’s bungalow is situated atop the hill and the estate is heavily guarded.

The police have started the investigation and suspect this to be a case of burglary where a gang broke in to the bungalow to rob documents and valuables. The case is being investigated by Nilgiris district SP Murali.

The Police told NDTV, “We are questioning some people.” According to reports, the villagers saw a group of unknown people entering the estate in two cars.

The late CM spent her summers at the estate and used to carry her state administration work from there.

J Jayalalithaa didn’t leave a will or heir to her property and assets which also includes her Poes Garden residence but it is believed that the Kodanad estate and the attached assets are transferred to her close confidante Sasikala. Sasikala is currently serving a jail sentence for the disproportionate asset case in Bengaluru.

The incident has occurred amidst the power struggle between the two dived groups of Tamil Nadu’s ruling party All India Anna Munnetra Dravida Kazhagam (AIADMK) which are led by Chief Minister E. Palanisamy and former chief minister O Panneerselvam.