CHENNAI: The Avadi city police early on Thursday gunned down two history-sheeted suspects near Sholavaram after they allegedly fired at police personnel when cops tried to arrest them in a murder case. Muthu Saravanan (33) of Sholavaram and Sathish alias ‘Sunday’ Sathish (25) were involved in the murder of Parthiban, a district-level AIADMK functionary, police said. After Parthiban was murdered by a gang near Padianallur on August 17, the Red Hills police arrested six men in the case. Muthu Saravanan and Sathish were on the run, police officials said.
“A special police team traced the suspects to a dilapidated building at Maramedu near Sholavaram on Thursday. When the team tried to apprehend them, the suspects opened fire using two pistols. Three police personnel were injured in the firing. The police team retaliated and shot at them,”
K Shankar, Commissioner of Police, Avadi, said.They were taken to a nearby hospital where they were declared dead on arrival. Their bodies were transferred to the Stanley Government Hospital. The injured police personnel, Krishnamoorthy, Prabhu and Rajesh, were admitted to hospital for treatment. DGP Shankar Jiwal and Avadi Commissioner K Shankar visited them at the hospital.
Speaking to reporters at Stanley Government Hospital, Saravanan’s father Pandian demanded a CBI inquiry into the encounter. “Police murdered my son after receiving money from another gang that falsely got my son implicated in the murder. I will not receive the body until there is a proper investigation,” Pandian said. Police said Muthu Saravanan had 16 cases, including six murders, pending against him.
‘Shot twice when accused tried to flee’
Sathish had 13 cases, including five murders, registered against him. The police team was led by Poonamallee assistant commissioner Jawahar. The Sholavaram police have registered a case and a magistrate inquiry has been ordered, sources said. In another incident on Thursday morning, a rowdy from Chengalpattu district was shot and captured by police.
Police said Thanikachalam (32) of Periyapalayam in Tiruvallur district is an ‘A’ category rowdy with more than 20 cases, including eight murders, pending against him. A few months ago, he was booked and arrested for a robbery in Chengalpattu district by the Sithamoor police.
“Soon the accused came out of the prison bail. But as he did not came back to the assigned police sattion for signing, the police confirmed that he escaped. A non-bailable warrant was issued against the accused. We traced him to a location in Chennai city and nabbed him on Wednesday midnight.
When a team of police personnel was taking him back to Chengalpattu, he asked the vehicle to stop to attend to nature’s call,” Chengalpattu superintendent of police V Sai Praneeth said. The police claimed that he attempted to escape when the vehicle stopped at Mamandur. He pushed the police personnel and attempted to flee when the personnel shot him twice on his right leg and right hand. He was later taken to Rajiv Gandhi Government hospital for treatment, police said.