Four get life term for killing Tamil Nadu cop to smuggle booze

According to the prosecution, head constable M Ravichandran (40) of Mayiladuthurai tried to stop the smuggler’s car by blocking it with his bike when they were transporting liquor.

The district and sessions court of Mayiladuthurai also awarded seven-year jail term to two others for impersonating the accused. (Representative image)

MAYILADUTHURAI: Four people were sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday for fatally running over a police head constable while smuggling liquor near Sirkazhi in 2012. The district and sessions court of Mayiladuthurai also awarded seven-year jail term to two others for impersonating the accused.

K Kalaiselvan (54) and K Karunakaran (52) of Meensurutti, and K Sankar (44) and V Ramamurthy (64) of Chokkalingapuram, all from Ariyalur district, were awarded life imprisonment after a 12-year-long trial in the case.

According to the prosecution, head constable M Ravichandran (40) of Mayiladuthurai tried to stop the smuggler’s car by blocking it with his bike when they were transporting liquor from Meensurutti and were passing via Koppiyam in erstwhile Nagapattinam district (present day Mayiladuthurai) on July 5, 2012. But the suspects ran over him and fled the spot. Ravichandran suffered injuries and died in a hospital in Chennai. Kalaiselvan was driving the car.

Four people later surrendered in a court in Kumbakonam. But instead of Kalaiselvan and Karunakaran, two others, J Selvam (32) and S Selvakumar (40) of Meensurutti, impersonated them and surrendered before the court.

Impersonation attempt failed, led to their arrest

The impersonation bid, however, faltered and Kalaiselvan and Karunakaran were later arrested. A case was registered at Anaikaranchathiram police station under IPC sections including 302 (murder), 353 (deterring a public servant), 205 (impersonation), 201 (destructive of evidence), and under Prohibition Act.

On Thursday, R Vijayakumari, district and sessions judge, sentenced Kalaichelvan, Karunakaran, Sankar, and Ramamurthy to life sentences for the murder. She also awarded two-year jail term under IPC 353, seven years under IPC 201, three years under IPC 205, and six months jail under the Prohibition Act.

The accused were directed to undergo the sentences concurrently. The judge also sentenced Selvam and Selvakumar to two-year jail term under IPC 353, seven years under IPC 201, and three years under IPC 205.