History-sheeter shot dead by police

The rowdy Karthigaisamy (27) a native of Pudhukulam in Sivagangai district, along with five aides went to a fuelling station at Eliyarpathi village in Madurai district in a white Toyota Qualis car. 

After filling diesel, he allegedly attacked the staff and the gang fled without paying. Other staff at the fuelling station alerted the local police, who passed on the information to their counterparts in Madurai and its neighbouring districts. 

When the vehicle came to Manamadurai Check post in Sivagangai district, policemen at the spot signalled the driver to stop the vehicle. However, the driver refused to oblige and sped away. The policemen alerted Tirupachethi station, following which Sub Inspector Velmurugan and two other officials managed to stop the car. 

When the policemen tried to arrest the gang, Karthigaisamy and his aides attacked the officials with sickles and machetes and escaped. In the attack, SI Velumurugan sustained injuries to his forehead.

The police team alerted higher officials, who sent wireless communication to all stations in the district. Following this, police teams started searching for the gang. A team found the car parked near a burial ground in Pudhukulam village. More policemen were called in and the officials fanned out in search of the gang. The officials found Karthigaisamy hiding behind some bushes in Kayankulam, a neighbouring village. 

“When officials surrounded Karthigaisamy and tried to arrest him, he attacked two more Sub Inspectors, Boominathan and Syed Ali. To defend himself, Boominathan fired two rounds at Karthigaisamy, who sustained grievous injuries. He died on the way to a hospital, said Sivagangani SP Jeyachandran. 

Meanwhile, local villagers raised suspicion about the encounter and questioned the condition of five of his aides. They alleged that the encounter was staged and the police had targeted Karthigaisamy. They also claimed that the policemen allegedly threatened Karthigaisamy’s aides to leave the spot without their leader. 

However, the Sivagangai police rejected the allegations and claimed that the officials shot the rowdy only to defend themselves. Karthigaisamy had 32 cases pending against him in various districts and was booked under the Goondas Act twice.