Prime suspect in cop attack case gunned down by Chennai police

CHENNAI: A day after a constable on night patrol was attacked and grievously injured, police gunned down Anandan, the 26-year-old prime suspect, on the Central Polytechnic (CPT) campus in Taramani late on Tuesday night. Police had already arrested six men in the attack.

Around 5.30pm, police received a tip about Anandan and a team led by assistant commissioner K N Sudarshan and including inspector Dillibabu and sub-inspector Ilaiyaraja picked him up near Sholinganallur. He said he had hidden on the CPT campus a walkie talkie snatched from constable Rajavelu and was taken there. Once there, Anandan dug out a knife and tried to attack sub-inspector Ilaiyaraja and was shot dead.


Encounter follows a spurt in attacks on policemen by people facing criminal cases


Anandan’s body was taken to the Government Royapettah Hospital for autopsy. A resident of BV Naicken Street in Triplicane, Anandan had 12 cases, including two attempt to murder cases, against him.


On Monday night, Rajavelu was on patrol when thecontrol room toldhim abouttroubleon PM Dargah Street, Triplicane. At the spot, he saw at least 10 people consuming liquor and creating a ruckus and advised them to disperse when they attacked him with sickles and knives. The constable was left with severe injuries on the head and face that required more than a dozen stitches. Police arrested Aravindan, Velmurugan, Seenu, Udayanidhi, Ajithkumar and Mahesh and are searching for four more.


The encounter follows a spurt in attacks on policemen by people facing criminal cases. On March 28, constable Anbazhagan of the Poonamallee policestation waschased and attacked after he stopped three drunk men on a motorbike. On May 18, RPF constable Yogesh Kumar sustained severe injuries to the head after being attacked by a cell phone snatcher at Central railway station. On June 9, Rajasekar of the intelligence wing prevented a three-member gang from attacking two men near Maduvankarai when they attacked him.


On June 22, two policemen and a home guard who had gone to interrogate a man said to be involved in red sanders smuggling were assaulted by four men in Sholavaram.