E-Paper
Terror angle suspected in Tamil Nadu cop’s killing: Police
Wilson was on a routine vehicle check-up at Padanthalumoodu checkpost. When he attempted to stop the SUV coming from Thiruvananthapuram, one of the occupants got off and fired three rounds at him and then fled in the vehicle to Kerala.
The shooting of special sub inspector (SSI) of police Y Wilson by two radicalised youth at a checkpost in Kaliyakavilai on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border in Kanniyakumari district late on Wednesday night could be a terror attack, according to the police.
Following preliminary investigations, the Tamil Nadu and Kerala police cite the murder as a possible retaliation for the recent arrest of three terror suspects in Bengaluru by the Tamil Nadu Q Branch police.
The duo, who fired the bullets at Wilson who was trying to search the SUV of the assailants, are wanted by the police. The police also released the pictures of the youth identified as Abdul Shameem of Thiruvithancode under Thuckalay police limits and Thoufiq of Ilangkadai in Nagercoil.
While Shameem is a suspect in the 2014 murder of Hindu Munnai functionary KP Sureshkumar in Chennai, Thoufiq is an accused in the case pertaining to the murder attempt on a BJP leader in Kanniyakumari in 2017.
Wilson was on a routine vehicle check-up at Padanthalumoodu checkpost. When he attempted to stop the SUV coming from Thiruvananthapuram, one of the occupants got off and fired three rounds at him and then fled in the vehicle to Kerala. The SSI, who received bullets in his chest and abdomen, was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
The police recovered three empty shells and two live .32 pistol ammunition from the spot. CCTV footages secured from a nearby location showed the assailants fleeing the spot with one of them carrying a hand gun.
Tamil Nadu DGP, JK Tripathy who inspected the spot visited Wilson’s home and consoled the family.
Both Tamil Nadu and Kerala police have launched a joint operation to nab the killers.
Meanwhile, condoling Wilson’s death, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami told the state assembly that besides financial assistance to the family, a government job would be given to either his son or daughter. He also assured that all efforts would be made to nab the killers and bring them to justice.
