TUTICORIN: A police sub-inspector was fatally run over by a drunk goods vehicle driver who was angry with the cop for warning him to behave in Tuticorin district late on Sunday. V Balu, 55, sub-inspector (SI) attached to the Eral police station, was riding pillion behind constable Pon Subbaiah, 35, when R Murugavel, 39, rammed their bike with a goods van at high speed. Balu died on the spot, while Subbaiah is in hospital. Murugavel fled the scene and evaded the cops, who formed 10 teams to track him, and surrendered before the Vilathikulam magistrate on Monday morning. The magistrate ordered that he be remanded in the district jail and produced before the Srivaikuntam court on February 5.
CM announces Rs 50 lakh solatium for kin of slain cop
The magistrate ordered that he be remanded in the district jail and produced before the Srivaikuntam court on February 5.
This is the second murder of a policeman in Tuticorin district in less than five months. On August 18, 2020, constable Subramanian, 28, was killed when a history-sheeter he was chasing threw a country bomb at him.
District superintendent of Police S Jayakumar told TOI that around 9.30 pm on Sunday Murugavel had picked a quarrel in an eatery in Eral Bazaar, a couple of kilometres from Valavallan. Balu who was on night patrol warned him and left. Fifteen minutes later the police got another call that a drunk man was creating a ruckus at another hotel in Eral Bazaar. SI Balu went to the spot and found it was Murugavel again. Since he was drunk, the SI took away his goods carrier and told him to collect it from the police station nearby in the morning, the SP said.
A couple of hours later, Murugavel borrowed a goods carrier to bring his wife home from the Tuticorin medical college hospital. She had attempted suicide after harassment by her husband, police said.
After dropping her at home he was standing on the street around 12.30 am when he was spotted by Balu and Pon Subbaiah who were on night patrol. They warned him to go home and not create any further trouble. This apparently infuriated Murugavel.
“A few minutes later Murugavel chased the bike that the policemen were riding about a kilometre from his house and knocked them down from behind at high speed. Balu and Subbaiah were thrown 25 to 30 feet away. The accused fled the scene and abandoned the goods vehicle in a burial ground four km away,” said the SP.
Balu was buried with full state honours at his native village, Mudivaithanendal. He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son.
CM Edappadi K Palaniswami announced a solatium of Rs 50 lakh to the kin of the deceased and a government job. Injured constable Pon Subbaiah will get Rs 2 lakh.