MADURAI: The district police have sent reports to the State Human Rights Commission and National Human Rights Commission about the encounter killing of two gangsters, said Superintendent of Police (Rural) N Manivannan here on Friday.
M Karthick (29) alias Saguni Karthick of Kamarajapuram and I Muthu Irulandi (25) alias Manthiri of Pottapanaiyur were killed in an alleged encounter by a team led by Inspector Manivannan, at Sikkandar Chavadi within Alaganallur police limits on Thursday.
The police reached the spot to nab the suspects in connection with a 2015 murder case. Police said around 14 cases were pending against Karthick, including five murder cases, while 11 were pending against Irulandi, including four murder cases.
The SP said it was an unexpected occurrence where policemen discharged firearms in an act of self-defence.
Along with Karthick and Irulandi, Irulandi’s wife Muthulakshmi, brother-in-law Ravi and two more persons were at the spot. One pistol possessed by one of the deceased was recovered from the spot.
The SP noted that a special team has been formed to nab one Mayakannan, as the incident took place at his house. He is believed to have fled after spotting policemen.
The SP further said that not all the police personnel, who went to arrest the accused, were in civvies. “Inspector Manivannan was in service uniform,” he pointed out. Sources said that Judicial Magistrate of Vadipatti K Vignesh Madhu has started a judicial inquiry into the incident. He visited the Government Rajaji Hospital, where the bodies were kept.
The district police registered a case under various sections of the IPC, including 341, 353, 332 and 307 and 176 (1-A) CrPC along with 25 (1) (B) of Arms Act.
The trigger
On Thursday morning, when advocate M Sithumurugan (25), of West Street of Soorakkulam in Austinpatti police limits, was on his way to the judicial magistrate court of Thirumangalam, Saguni Karthick, Mandhiri and Mayakannan intercepted his vehicle.
The trio relieved the lawyer of his two wheeler and threatened him with an iron rod. A case of robbery has been registered in this connection.
“The trio robbed the lawyer after sensing that police were zeroing in on them,” claimed a senior police official. This helped the police to confine their search to a limited area.