Chennai: Murder suspect shot after attacking cop in escape bid

CHENNAI: A 23-year-old man, who is a suspect in a murder case, was shot at and apprehended by the police when he allegedly attacked the police team and tried to escape near Indira Nagar MRTS railway station early Saturday morning.

The police identified the suspect as Vijayakumar of Visalakshi Thottam. He is a history-sheeter wanted in the murder of 24-year-old history-sheeter Mouli, who was hacked to death by a gang near Mandaveli railway station on Thursday.

Based on a tip-off, a police team led by Mylapore Inspector Ambedkar traced Vijayakumar and cornered him. In an attempt to escape, Vijayakumar allegedly pulled out a knife and attacked constable Tamilarasan, after which Inspector Ambedkar opened fire.

Vijayakumar sustained an injury to his leg, and he was taken to Government Royapettah Hospital and later shifted to the convicts' ward at Government Stanley Hospital.

Around 11 am on Thursday, a gang intercepted Mouli and attacked him with weapons and fled the scene. A passerby rescued him and moved him to the Government Royapettah Hospital, where he succumbed on Friday. Following the incident, the police arrested two youths, Gautham and Niranjan, who were part of the gang.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased and the suspects were known to each other and had a previous enmity. Vijayakumar, who was already in beef with Mouli for texting his friend's sister regularly on social media. Vijayakumar and others were also miffed that Mouli ran his mouth in the neighbourhood, claiming that he was the only top shot in Visalakshi Thottam. Search is on for the absconding suspects.