CHENNAI: An alleged notorious rowdy, facing murder, kidnapping and land grabbing charges, was shot dead in a posh neighbourhood of the city by Villupuram police on Tuesday night. The deceased has been identified as 39-year-old Manikandan, a native of Kuyilpalayam in Villupuram.
Police say Manikandan was has been an influential figure in Auroville, which lies close to his native village, and other parts of Puducherry and Kottakuppam for over a decade. He has around 8 cases of murder filed against him, apart from other cases such as land grabbing, kidnapping, theft and assault.
On Tuesday, Villupuram police came knocking on the doorstep of an apartment in an affluent neighbourhood in Korattur. Manikandan was allegedly staying there along with wife and his two daughters. Sources said the house belonged his friend, and the encounter happened inside the house.
“He attacked SI Prabhu when we tried to apprehend him and SI Prakash reacted by firing two rounds,” said the police. Police claimed Manikandan’s family was not present at the scene during the time of the encounter. SI Prabhu who sustained injuries to his head and shoulder has been admitted at Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital. Senior officials including DGP JK Tripathy visited the injured officer. A magistrate inquiry will be ordered into the encounter, said the police.
Nightmare of Auroville
As per records, Manikandan has been active in the crime scene since as early as 1998. Most of the cases filed against him are in police stations across Villupuram and Puducherry. “He was known for threatening foreigners who buy land in Auroville,” said a 35-year-old former aide of Manikandan.
From land grabbing, Manikandan moved on to more serious crimes when he murdered a foreigner couple seven years ago for their property. Later, his gang got involved in the murder of a Congress functionary, marking his entry in the political scene. “He is alleged to have been the henchman for many political leaders around Puducherry and Villupuram,” said the former aide, who now works in another city. There are a total of eight murder cases against him.
“His men would get involved in at least two criminal activities every week,” alleged one policeman citing records. Making explosive devices was one of the many charges he faced. An affluent businessman, who owns a restaurant and farm in Auroville, said they were constantly tortured and extorted by Manikandan’s gang. Police say Manikandan and his rival Raj Kumar’s groups engaged in constant fights in and around Puducherry and Villupuram.
Plan to leave India?
Villupuram SP Jayakumar claims his team received a tip-off that Manikandan was planning to escape abroad with his family. “We traced him down to the Korattur residence where he is believed to have been staying for the last 15 days,” says Jayakumar. “The sub inspectors asked Manikandan to cooperate and go with them to the station, but he pulled out a sharp weapon and slashed Prabhu, injuring him. Prabhu had to be given 8 stitches.”
The otherwise noisy and chaotic neighbourhood in Korattur plunged into silence following the encounter on Tuesday. The remaining five houses in Golden Oak apartment, where the encounter happened, pulled down their curtains, switched off their lights and stayed put indoors.
When Express visited the spot, 10 policemen had been deployed on security duty. No resident was being allowed inside or outside the premises. The restriction is likely to be in place till Wednesday morning. There are about 30 residents living in the six houses within the apartment.
Witnesses claimed they realised a police encounter was about to happen after a big group of policemen landed in the spot around 7 pm. By around 10 pm, hundreds of onlookers gathered around the apartment. “It was shocking to know that such a big rowdy was living in an affluent residential area such as this,” said a shopkeeper in the vicinity.