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Tamil Nadu cop hacked to death while attempting to resolve family dispute in Tiruppur
Six special police teams have been formed to trace and nab the 3 accused, who have several cases pending against them
A special sub-inspector (SSI) from Kudimangalam police station was hacked to death when he tried to resolve a dispute between a man and his sons in Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu, police said on Wednesday.
According to police, SSI M Shanmugavel (57), on patrol duty at around 11pm on August 5, rushed to a private farm upon receiving information about a drunken brawl between Moorthy, his elder son Manikandan, and his younger son Thangapandi, residents of Moongilthozhuvu near Gudimangalam area.
“Based on the call, SSI Shanmugavel along with constable Azhaguraja went on a patrolling vehicle to the farm and found Moorthy injured after a fight with his two sons. The SSI called for an ambulance for Moorthy and while trying to settle the dispute, the father and his two sons tried to attack the police. When Manikandan picked up a sickle, the policemen tried to escape. However, the SSI was hacked to death,” said Tamil Nadu’s west zone inspector general of police, T Senthil Kumar.
Six special police teams have been formed to trace and nab Moorthy, who had two criminal offences pending against him and his two sons: Manigandan and Thangapandi, who had four cases pending against them, each, the IGP said, adding a case has been registered by the Gudimangalam police and further investigation was on.
Expressing shock over the SSI’s death, chief minister MK Stalin said the Special Sub Inspector’s demise was “an irreparable loss to the Tamil Nadu Police and his family.” “I have ordered the police to arrest the culprits involved in this heinous act at the earliest. I have ordered a relief of ₹1 crore to be provided to the family of Shanmugavel,” Stalin said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Opposition slammed the government over law and order situation in the state. “How can we accept that a police officer who went to investigate had no security? The only way Tamil Nadu can be safe is to remove DMK from power,” Leader of opposition and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palansiwami (EPS) said.
“The general public lacks safety due to rampant alcoholism and drug abuse under the DMK regime. Now, even the lives of police are not guaranteed,” BJP state president Nainar Nagendran said.
AIADMK legislator C Mahendran in whose farm the incident occurred, said the farm was being managed by his manager.
“The man (Moorthy) was appointed by the manager. It has been a long time since I visited the farm. It is very unfortunate that an honest police official has lost his life,” Mahendran said.
“Moorthy has been appointed only a year ago. We are cooperating with the police. Right now, the affected family needs our support,” he added.
