Tamil Nadu police have shot down two criminals, who were wanted for the murder of an AIADMK functionary, in Thiruvallur district on Thursday, officers familiar with the matter said. This is the third case of extra judicial killing that the Tamil Nadu police has resorted to in the last three months.
According to the police, they had to open fire because the criminals, identified as Muthu Saravanan and ‘Sunday’ Satish, tried to attack them and escape. Three police personnel have been injured in the encounter.
The criminals had several cases of murder, kidnapping and extortion against them and were also charged with the killing of an AIADMK functionary Parthibap (53), while he was on his morning walk, in Thiruvallur on August 17.
“A special team was formed to find the two criminals for Parthibap’s murder last August,” said Avadi police commissioner, K Shankar. After the police received a tip off that the criminals were hiding in Thiruvallur, more than 50 km from Chennai, the special team came to arrest them early on Thursday morning.
“The criminals started firing with the two pistols they had. Three policemen sustained injuries on their hands,” said Shankar. “So police shot back and the criminals suffered grievous injuries. They were taken to a hospital nearby, but were declared brought dead. Their bodies have been sent to Stanley medical college.”
{{/usCountry}}“The criminals started firing with the two pistols they had. Three policemen sustained injuries on their hands,” said Shankar. “So police shot back and the criminals suffered grievous injuries. They were taken to a hospital nearby, but were declared brought dead. Their bodies have been sent to Stanley medical college.”
{{/usCountry}}The injured policemen are also undergoing treatment at Stanley hospital.
While Saravanan had six murder cases against him, his close associate Satish had five murder cases, besides several attempted murder cases. “Their prime job was extortion,” said Shankar. “They used to threaten people and if they don’t pay up, they used to kill them.”
In September, police had shot down A Viswanathan, who was categorised as an A+ criminal (most notorious among criminals). He had more than 25 cases registered against him including five for murder, extortion and drug peddling. He used to operate in the industrial manufacturing hub of Sriperumbudur near Chennai.
On September 16, when police went to arrest Viswanathan, he attacked two officers including a sub-inspector Murali, who shot him in self-defence.
Later, a three-page complaint from Viswanathan addressed to senior police officers in Kancheepuram and Tamil Nadu government’s home department dated August 28 surfaced.
In his purported complaint letter, the criminal had said that two police officers (inspector Parandhaman and sub-inspector Dhayalan) in the Sriperumbudur police want to “encounter” him meaning resort to extra judicial killing.