Chennai's 'Madurai Bala', A+ category rowdy held in Kerala

CHENNAI: Chennai city's anti-gangster team nabbed a history-sheeter rowdy Madurai Bala, a key suspect in the murder of Mylai Sivakumar in 2021, from a hideout in Kerala on Wednesday.

The arrested person is an A+ category rowdy, police sources said, adding that he is notorious for planning several murders without him being directly involved in the crime.

Bala has several criminal cases against him including murder, extortion among others.

Police said that he was recently out on conditional bail and went absconding without appearing before the police station as required. The Anti-gangster squad of Chennai police were tipped off about Bala hiding in Kerala, from where he was allegedly threatening businesspersons over phone and trying to extort them.

The arrested rowdy will be brought to Chennai for further investigation. Police sources said that the crackdown on rowdy elements in City will continue.

On August 6, a one-day special drive against history sheeters was conducted by Chennai police in which 630 previous accused were checked in person and they were advised not to indulge in any criminal activities. Already 616 rowdies were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.

"In view of the intensive inquiry and search operations to executive the NBWs (non bailable warrants) pending in law and order and crime wings for the past 2 months, 6 NBWs were executed and produced before the court, " an official release stated.

Further, police have adviced owners and managers of lodges in the city to inform police of any suspicious persons or not to give rooms to people without proper identification proof.