CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Police officer S Velladurai, who was part of the Special Task Force (STF) that gunned down dreaded forest brigand Veerappan, was placed under suspension on Thursday, a day before he was to retire from service.

Velladurai was serving as Additional Superintendent of Police (ADSP), District Crime Records Bureau in Tiruvannamalai.

The government order issued by the Home Department cited a criminal case pending against him as the reason for his suspension.

Police sources said that it is related to the death of a suspect, Ramar alias Kokki Kumar, in police custody in 2013 when Velladurai was Manamadurai DSP.

Kokki Kumar was an accused in the murder of police sub-inspector T Alwin Sudhan. SI Alwin Sudhan was killed in the attack on policemen during Maruthupandiar Jayanthi on October 27, 2012.

As many as 13 people, including Kumar, were arrested within a fortnight after the murder.