Two persons, who faced murder charges, were shot dead by a team of Madurai city police inside a house in Sikkander Chavadi near here on Thursday. Police claimed that the accused I. Muthurulandi, alias Manthiri, 25, and M. Karthik, alias ‘Saguni’ Karthik, 26, were killed in self-defence as they opened fire at the raiding police team.
A police team, led by Sellur inspector Manivannan and sub-inspector Murugan, had gone to the house of Mayakannan at Manthaiammankoil Street, off the Madurai-Alanganallur highway, in search of the two history-sheeters, who were wanted in connection with the murder of one Mayan in the Sellur police limits in 2015.
Country-made pistol
Upon seeing the police, a few persons standing outside the house fled while others locked the house from inside. When the police tried to break open the door, one of the persons inside allegedly pulled out a country-made pistol and tried to open fire. “Since the police team was not in uniform, the inspector shouted at those inside the house identifying themselves as police,” Madurai Rural Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan, under whose jurisdiction the encounter occurred, said.
When the accused attempted to shoot the police personnel, the inspector opened fire and one of them collapsed.
“Suddenly, the other person tried to snatch the pistol from him and aimed at the inspector. But sub inspector Murugan shot him. Both officers fired one round each,” the SP, who inspected the scene of the alleged encounter, said.
Manthiri and Sakuni Karthik were taken to the Government Rajaji Hospital in an ambulance, where doctors declared them “brought dead.”
Madurai City Commissioner of Police Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal issued a statement, in which he said the police personnel opened fire in “self-defence”.
A police constable, Balamurugan, sustained injuries while breaking the door open.
The police said that while Manthiri had a history-sheet against him in the Keeraithurai police station, the Teppakulam police had filed a case against Karthik. Both had at least 10 criminal cases each pending against them.
Karthik was an accused in five murder cases. The police are on the lookout for those who escaped.
