CHENNAI: Special Sub-Inspector (SSI) Senthil Kumar died after allegedly being struck by a youth he confronted for bursting firecrackers on a public road, South Zone IG Vijayendra Bidari said. Kumar was posted at the office of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Theni district.

Bidari said Senthil Kumar was returning home in civilian clothes after completing his duty when he saw a group of youngsters bursting firecrackers on a road where people were moving about.

He advised them to move away to avoid inconvenience to the public and also tried to record their activities on his mobile phone.

When he tried to apprehend one of the youths, a person struck him with an elbow, causing him to lose balance and fall to the ground, Bidari said. A patrolling police team rushed to the spot and took him to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries despite medical efforts.

After inspecting the scene, the Theni District Superintendent of Police (SP) said three people from the locality have been arrested in connection with the incident. Police noted that Senthil Kumar had a pre-existing heart condition. Further details are awaited.

Meanwhile, three people, including two 17-year-old boys, were allegedly murdered in separate incidents in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirappalli district on Diwali day, triggering shock and concern among residents. In the first incident, two teenagers were hacked to death by unidentified assailants near the Samayapuram toll plaza on the outskirts of Tiruchirappalli.

In another incident, a 20-year-old employee of a private IT company in Chennai was allegedly stabbed to death with an iron spanner following a dispute over bursting firecrackers near Irungalur.