MADURAI: A history sheeter accused of rape was shot in the right knee when he tried to attack the cops and escape near Senbagathottam park here in the wee hours on Saturday, the Madurai police said. Another offender in the case, who also tried to flee, broke his left leg in the process, the police said.
They explained that Anna Nagar (Law and Order) Inspector Senthilkumaran fired one round at the right leg of the prime suspect, K Kuruvi Vijay (30), of Shenbagathottam, and the second suspect, M Karthi alias Mouli (28), of Vandiyur, fell and fractured his leg. Both were admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital. Senthilkumaran too was injured and hospitalised.
The incident happened when a police team led by Senthilkumaran took the suspects to the spot where they allegedly sexually assaulted a 27-year-old woman they kidnapped late on Friday. The suspects pelted stones at the police and attempted to escape, following which the inspector fired at Vijay's leg in self defense, sources said.
Around 9 pm on Friday, Vijay and Karthi nabbed a woman who was going to provide food to a relative at Deputy Collector Colony in Anna Nagar, and threatened her with an axe, the police said. On hearing the commotion, her relative rushed there and tried to save her but was overpowered. The woman was then allegedly taken away and raped in an old Tempo Traveller van. The suspects were caught in the van, and the woman rescued.
Police Commissioner Prem Anand Sinha visited the spot of the crime and the injured inspector at the Government Rajaji Hospital. Vijay has 15 criminal cases, including one of murder, pending against him, and a history sheet is being maintained at the Anna Nagar police station.
The two were booked under Sections 341, 342, 294 (b), 323, 354, 307, 376 (d), 363, and 366 of the IPC, and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.
The relatives of the suspects petitioned the district Collector, saying the duo were falsely charged. Vijay's sister Lavanya submitted a petition to the State Human Rights Commission seeking action against the police officials involved in the shootout.