TIRUPPUR: Tamil Nadu Police Special Sub-Inspector (SI) M. Shanmugavel (57) was hacked to death on Tuesday night while trying to resolve a dispute between a father and son in Gudimangalam, Tiruppur district.
District police are searching for a father and two sons who went missing following the incident.
The accused have been identified as Moorthy, his elder son Manikandan, and his younger son Thangapandi, all residents of Moongilthozhuvu near Gudimangalam.
According to police sources, “Moorthy lived and worked with his family on a farm owned by AIADMK MLA C. Mahendran in the area.
On Tuesday night, around 11 p.m., a drunken argument reportedly broke out between Moorthy and his younger son Thangapandi, during which Thangapandi attacked his father, injuring him. Other family members then contacted the police control room to report the incident.”
"The information was passed on to Special SI Shanmugavel, who was on patrol in the area. He rushed to the scene along with constable Azhaguraja. After trying to resolve the dispute, Shanmugavel sent Moorthy to the hospital. Unexpectedly, Manikandan, allegedly not wanting the police to arrest his brother, attacked the Special SI with a sickle,” sources said.
Shanmugavel sustained severe neck injuries in the attack and died on the spot. Manikandan then reportedly chased constable Azhaguraja and attempted to attack him as well. However, the constable managed to escape.
Based on the information provided by the constable, the Gudimangalam police rushed to the scene.
“When we arrived, they had already fled. We suspect the father and two sons were involved in the incident. It appears they lived and worked on the farm for daily wages. The investigation is ongoing, and all details will be known after it is completed. Special teams have been formed, and a search is underway,” a police officer said.
On Wednesday morning, police conducted an enquiry with Madathukulam MLA C. Mahendran at whose farm the special SI was murdered.
Speaking to reporters, T Senthilkumar, IG of West Zone, said it was Manikandan who had attacked the SSI with the sickle although his brother and father were also involved in the assault. “They also damaged a patrol vehicle and disconnected the wires of communication devices on the vehicle,” he said. Preliminary inquiry revealed that Manikandan and Thangapandian have four criminal cases each against them while Moorthy has two pending cases against him all in Dindigul, the IG said.
“We have registered a murder case against all three,” he said. Police said the MLA was also questioned. Meanwhile, the officer’s body was sent to the Government Medical College Hospital in Tiruppur for postmortem and later handed over to his family. The final rites were held with state honours at his residence in Bharathi Nagar, Udumalaipet.
The top brass of the state police, including DGP Shankar Jiwal, ADGP (Law and Order) S Davidson Devasirvatham, IG Senthilkumar, DIG of Coimbatore Range V Sasimohan, and Tiruppur SP Yadav Girish, were present. Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a solatium of Rs 1 crore to the bereaved family. Minister MP Saminathan, Collector Manish Narnaware, and MLA Mahendran met the family and offered condolences. “Investigation is under way. The accused will be arrested soon,” Saminathan told the media.
In connection with the murder, five special police teams have been formed to trace and arrest the prime accused, Moorthy, along with his two sons, Manikandan and Thangapandi who are absconding. Investigations are ongoing.