THOOTHUKUDI: A 55-year-old Police Sub Inspector was killed and a constable was badly injured when the two-wheeler they were riding was allegedly hit by a load carrier vehicle at Korkai junction in the wee hours on Monday. The deceased was identified as Balu (55) of Eral police station and constable Pon Subbiah was injured. The suspect R Murugavel has surrendered before Vilathikulam Judicial Magistrate Saravanakumar.
Police have shifted the body of Balu to Thoothukudi medical college hospital for post mortem, and Pon Subbaiah is under treatment.
Sources said that the accident took place near Popanchapuram Sudalai temple at around 1 am when the duo were proceeding to Eral from Korkai in a two-wheeler with the former riding pillion.
The cops were tossed off in the air as the Ashok Leyland Dost rammed them from behind, said sources adding the SI fell unconscious sustaining aberration injury near the abdomen, chin and forehead while the constable injured his left knee.
SI Balu was taken to Eral Primary Health Centre where he was declared brought dead, said police sources adding the body has been shifted to Thoothukudi medical college hospital for post mortem.
Narrating the incidents before the sub-inspector was fatally knocked down, a senior police official privy to the investigation told TNIE that the police constable Pon Subbiah and another constable Thomas had scolded the suspect Murugavel (40) son of Rajagopal, Valavallan for creating public nuisance in a fast food centre at Eral Bazaar at around 9.30 pm, January 31 -- a few hours before the accident.
Murugavel runs a two-wheeler workshop at Korkai Junction and also drives a load carrier vehicle.
Half an hour later, Murugavel created a problem again when Pon Subbaiah and Thomas were having dinner at a hotel, which led to the seizure of his white colour Tata Ace, said sources. Murugavel was brought to station and let off after getting Aachar Mucholika, a written statement not to create nuisance further.
Later, the SI and Pon Subbiah found Murugavel in front of his house at around 12.45 during night patrol and warned him not to roam outside. Later the night the policemen were hit by an Ashok Leyland Dost just 1 km away from Murugavel's residence at 1 am.
Preliminary investigation had revealed that the vehicle belongs to one Kumaresan of Valavallan, on whose house Murugavel is living as a tenant. Kumaresan is currently living in Mumbai. Police suspects Murugavel might have driven the load carrier vehicle to kill the Sub Inspector, said police privy to the investigation.
Superintendent of Police S Jeyakumar, Eral inspector Muthulakshmi, Srivaikuntam DSP Duraikannan inspected the accident spot and held inquiries.
Jeyakumar said that as many as 10 special teams have been formed to nab the accused. Murugavel was an alcoholic and had been troubling his relatives but got no past criminal case records. "His wife had attempted to kill herself due to his alcoholism and had returned home from the hospital on Sunday night," SP said.
Eral police registered a case under Sections 353, 307 and 302 of IPC against Murugavel. Even as the SP launched 10 special police teams to nab the suspects, Murugavel surrendered before Vilathikulam Judicial Magistrate Saravanakumar, who remanded him for five days, and ordered that he be produced before Srivaikuntam Judicial Magistrate on February 5.
The deceased Sub Inspector Balu belonged to the 1988 batch of police and was a native of Mudivaithanenthal village near Thoothukudi. He is survived by his wife Petchiammal, a housewife, an unmarried son Arul Velayutham who works at a nationalised bank at Ariyalur, and a married daughter Jeya Durga Veni.
After an autopsy was performed on his body at Thoothukudi Medical College, South Zone Inspector General of Police S Murugan received the remains and paid homage. Collector Dr K Senthil Raj, DIG (in-charge) Rajendran, SP Jeyakumar, Additional SP P Selvan and DSP Pon Arasu Ganesh also paid their respects to the slain SI before the body was taken to Mudivaithanenthal.
Speaking to media persons, Murugan said, "It was a well-intended attack on the personnel. Necessary action will be taken against the suspect." When asked about the safety and security of the police, the IG categorised the attack on SI Balu as a "cowardly assault from behind".
Balu’s body was laid to rest at Mudivaithanenthal as police personnel fired three rounds of 10 shots each in the air in his honour.