TN cop, history-sheeter die as country bomb hurled by latter explodes

TUTICORIN: A policeman and a history-sheeter died after the latter hurled a country-made bomb when a special police team raided his hideout in the Vallanadu Reserve Forest (RF) at Manakarai near Murappanadu village in Srivaikuntam, Tuticorin on Tuesday afternoon.
Police officer Subramanian, 28, died as the bomb landed on his head and destroyed his head and face. Condoling Subramanian's death, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced a solatium of Rs 50 lakh to his family and a government job based on the education qualification of a kin.
History-sheeter P Duraimuthu, 26, who suffered injuries, died on the way to the hospital.
The two dead bodies were taken to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for postmortem.
Superintendent of Police (SP) of Tuticorin S Jayakumar denied an encounter killing of the accused.
Duraimuthu of Velur, Tuticorin, who was absconding, has three murder cases against him. The first murder was at Velur in 2015, followed by a double murder at Eral in Tuticorin and a murder at Pettai, Tirunelveli last year. These are in addition to attempt to murder and hurt cases in Eral and Srivaikuntam.
“We got information that he was plotting murder and the Srivaikuntam DSP got a hunch about his hideout at Manakarai. Constable Subramanian is among the six-member special team that set out to nab Duraimuthu,” Jayakumar told TOI.
Duraimuthu and three others were in a small concrete building used by the forest department when the special team lead by a sub-inspector entered the place around 1 pm. “Our teams surrounded three of his companions. However, Duraimuthu fled the spot and constable Subramanian followed him,” the SP said.
The accused tried to hurl a country bomb as he fled. However, it did not injure anyone. After a nearly 200-meter chase, when the constable almost caught him, he threw another country-made bomb that landed on Subramanian’s head and left him dead.
A car used by the accused to reach the spot and weapons were recovered from them. A case has been registered against the history-sheeter for murder and under sections of the Explosive Substances Act. Police sources said the case will be closed as the accused is dead.