Tamil Nadu police gun down Tiruppur SSI murder accused Manikandan in 'self-defence'

A day after a Special Sub-Inspector (SSI) of Police, Shanmugavel, was hacked to death in a farmland near Tiruppur, the prime accused in the case, Manikandan, was shot dead in a police encounter. Manikandan was shot in "self-defence" by police as he attempted to escape after attacking a sub-inspector with a sickle during an investigation at the crime scene.

 

Manikandan was shot near Upparu stream, near Chikkanur, by Sub-Inspector Saravanakumar in self-defence and died on the spot. Manikandan’s body was shifted to the government hospital at Udumalpet for post-mortem. Manikandan, his father Moorthy, and his brother Thangapandian had allegedly murdered SSI Shanmugavel when he attempted to intervene in a quarrel inside a farmland belonging to Madathukulam constituency AIADMK MLA C. Mahendran, after receiving a distress call from the police control room, stating that the father and two sons were engaged in a quarrel. When the SSI intervened and tried to pacify the three, they hacked him to death with a sickle.

 

While the police managed to secure Moorthy and Thangapandian, prime accused Manikandan escaped from the scene. The police had formed six special teams to track him. On Wednesday evening, a special team apprehended Manikandan. He was taken to the crime scene for investigation. During the investigation, he again tried to attack SI Saravanakumar with a sickle and was shot dead. Injured SI Saravanakumar was admitted to Udumalpet Government Hospital for treatment, and further investigation is underway.

 

The attack on an SSI and his subsequent hacking to death has sent shockwaves among residents in and around Madathukulam, near Tiruppur. Of late, the Tamil Nadu Police have been facing criticism across the state for poor handling of cases and custodial deaths.

India