2 days after attack on police man, Chennai cops shoot suspect

CHENNAI: The City police on Tuesday midnight opened fire at a 22-year-old crime suspect, who allegedly attacked two constables with a knife and attempted to escape near Velangadu crematorium in Aynavaram police limits. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

The suspect, Surya known as ‘bent,’ suffered a bullet wound on his left leg and has been admitted to a hospital for treatment, police sources said.

Surya, a resident of Pulianthope, was nabbed by a police team from Thiruvallur in connection with the assault on a Police Sub Inspector on Sunday night and was being brought back to the city when he requested for a urine break.

“Surya, who got out of the vehicle, took a knife from a sugarcane juice stall and attacked two constables inflicting cut injuries on them. He then attempted escape when SI Meena shot him on the leg,” a police official said. The injured police constables, Saravanakumar and Amanuddin are admitted to a hospital. On Wednesday afternoon, Chennai City Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal visited the injured police personnel at the hospital.

Surya, who has more than 20 cases against him including theft, had attacked a police Sub Inspector on Sunday night when fleeing after series of theft along with his accomplices. The Sub inspector, Shankar attached to Ayanavaram Police station, was attacked with an iron rod when he flagged down the suspect’s two wheeler for checking. The youths were riding triples in a to wheeler during the time.

However, the rider did not stop the vehicle and attempted to speed past the cops. When the policemen gave a chase by foot, one of the pillion riders attacked Shankar with an iron rod he was carrying.

While Surya’s accomplices Ajith and Gowtham were arrested by the police on Tuesday morning, Surya, who was hiding in Thiruvallur, was arrested later in the day.

With Tuesday’s incident, Chennai City Police too joined the recent bandwagon of trigger-happy policemen across the state.

A couple of days ago, two history-sheeters who allegedly attempted to escape from custody were shot on the legs and captured by Trichy police.

A week ago, Coimbatore police had shot at two suspects who were involved in the daylight murder of a rowdy near the district court complex.

A month ago, Kancheepuram police had opened fire at two suspects, who were allegedly involved in a rape case and several theft and robbery cases in Sriperumbudur, in which one of them suffered a bullet wound. They also allegedly posed as police personnel and sexually assaulted several women who return home after work in factories, by claiming that they have to be detained for enquiries, police had said.