CUDDALORE: A 24-year-old man, suspected to have raped an 80-year-old woman before stealing her jewellery near Panruti, was shot in the left leg and was arrested from a cashew grove near Melmambattu under Kadampuliyur police limits on Tuesday.
The police said the suspect, identified as S Sundaravel (24) of SK Palayam village in Panruti taluk, a history-sheeter, was released from jail just two days ago. Sources said after the Panruti police received information that the suspect was hiding in the grove, inspector V Velumani, along with constables P Gubendran and Harikaran, part of the special team led by Panruti DSP PN Raja, reached the spot.
When Gubendran tried to arrest Sundaravel, he attacked the policeman with a machete, injuring his right arm. Inspector Velumani then warned Sundaravel to surrender. When he charged ahead to attack Harikaran as well, the inspector shot him in the left leg, they added.
Both the injured constable and the suspect were taken to the Government Hospital in Panruti. Sundaravel was later referred to Mundiyampakkam Government Medical College Hospital for further treatment.
Later, speaking to reporters, Cuddalore Superintendent of Police S Jeyakumar said, “Sundaravel, who was released from jail just two days ago, has a history sheet maintained against him at the Panruti police station. He also has theft cases registered against him in Coimbatore, Tiruchy Cantonment, Erode, and Thiruvannainallur stations. During questioning, he confessed to raping the elderly woman and stealing her jewellery. The stolen jewellery were recovered from motorcycle seized from Thattampalayam.”
The police said the elderly woman, a resident of a village in Panruti taluk, was raped by the suspect when she went to the casuarina grove on Pulavanur Road on Monday. “The woman suffered serious injuries and was admitted to the Government Hospital in Panruti.
She was later referred to the Government Medical College and Hospital in Chidambaram for further treatment,” an official said, adding she is now recovering. Quoting the elderly woman’s statement, the official said Sundaravel had raped her even after she told him that he is like her grandson.