COIMBATORE: A history, who failed to appear for court proceedings in connection with a murder case, surrendered before the third additional district judge court in the Coimbatore city on Thursday. Before surrendering, he feared a threat to his life from the police. The court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him after he failed to appear for the proceedings.
As per sources, S Shanmugam alias Vikku (23) from Ammankulam near Ramanathapuram moved to Mumbai a few months ago. Police said that he was a close aide of history-sheeter Kamarajapuram Gowtham, who was arrested recently in connection with murders and selling drugs. “Shanmugam and his friend Dharun alias Infant Raj were arrested for murdering their friend Leo Martin of Puliyakulam in February 2019.
Shanmugam was also arrested in connection with the murder of K Ashok Kumar (26) of Hudco Colony at Gandhi Maa Nagar in 2021. Kumar was a construction worker and he was a member of a local gang headed by Unnikrishnan. Kumar posted a photo of himself holding a machete on social media with a caption daring Shanmugam, who was part of the rival gang, in November 2021, following which Shanmugam and his three friends hacked Kumar to death.
Shanmugam was facing 13 cases, including two murders, a POCSO case, two attempted murder cases, three ganja cases and assault cases,” police said. Police said that Shanmugam failed to appear for the court proceedings in connection with the murder of Leo Martin. So, the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him. The city police were not able to trace him.
Meanwhile, Shanmugam came to the combined court complex in Coimbatore city along with his counsel and alleged that the police were threatening his family members and were planning to shoot him hence he decided to surrender before the court. He was remanded to judicial custody and lodged at the Coimbatore Central Prison. Repeated attempts to contact the police personnel went in vain.