Tamil Nadu: Police shoot and secure suspect in gang attacks in Tirunelveli, Tenkasi

CHENNAI: Police shot and secured a suspect in a series of bike-borne attacks reported in Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts, officials said on Sunday.

A nine-member masked gang that travelled on two-wheelers attacked people belonging to the SC community indiscriminately with sickles on May 28 and May 29 in Tenkasi and Tirunelveli districts. Members of the gang fled the spots immediately after the assaults. A total of seven people were injured and admitted to the government hospital.

Police said that they came to know that one of the suspects, Ayyappan from Nettur in Tenkasi District, was hiding in the North Ariyanayagipuram, Arasangulam area, and a special police team constituted for this case proceeded to secure him.

"During the attempt to secure him, he attempted to attack the police team with a weapon. The police opened fire in self-defence, in which the accused sustained a gunshot injury," the police said in a statement.

He was immediately admitted to the Government Hospital, Cheranmahadevi, for medical treatment, they added.

V Prassanna Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli, visited the hospital and reviewed the condition of the injured accused, police said.

According to police, Ayyappan was among the key suspects in a case involving a group that allegedly attacked several people during a wedding at Nettur near Alangulam. The violence reportedly stemmed from a dispute over the installation of flex banners.

Following instructions from Tirunelveli Range Deputy Inspector General of Police (in-charge) Deshmukh Sekhar Sanjay, special teams from Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts launched a search operation. Using drone surveillance, police arrested five persons and three juveniles in connection with the case. They are being questioned, police said.

Police said Ayyappan faces multiple criminal cases, including murder charges, at Alangulam police station and had been placed under surveillance as a history-sheeter. Efforts are underway to trace six more suspects allegedly involved in the attacks.

(With inputs from PTI)