Munisekar’s bullet meant for suspects killed Periyapandian

Two weeks after Chennai police Inspector S Periyapandian was shot dead in a midnight operation at Rampurkalan village in Pali district, Rajasthan, a clear picture has emerged about what had happened on the fateful night of December 12.

Available information, received from well-placed sources in Chennai police – that interacted with the others in the police team which returned from Rajasthan— reveals that Periyapandian had died of a bullet which was fired by Inspector Munisekhar from his gun. “After entering the premises, the supporters of Nathuram started attacking the police team in civilian clothes, Munisekhar, along with other three constables, retreated,” sources said. 

Periyapandian, who was left behind, ran towards another gate, which was locked. The gang chased Periyapandian and started attacking him. “Munisekhar took his gun and shot at the gang, but the bullet hit Periyapandian, who was trying to climb over the gate, and in the process, he died,” city police source added. 

What Munisekhar said in his complaint to the Rajasthan police was a combination of truth and lies, sources here noted. “It is true that five of them, Maduravoyal Inspector Periyapandian, Kolathur Inspector Munisekhar, along with three constables, entered the premises of a limestone quarry-cum factory, belonging to Tejaram, in Rampurkalan village. They went to nab Nathuram and his associates in connection with the 3.5 kg gold heist reported at a jewellery shop in Kolathur on November 16,” an official said. He added that it was also true that the people present, including women, who were with Nathuram, had started attacking the Chennai police team with clubs after pelting stones at them. In the process Periyapandian was left behind. 

Munisekhar, in his complaint had said that his gun slipped off his hands and one of the gang members took that gun and shot Periyapandian. Sources noted that Munisekhar’s gun was not used by the supporters of the suspect. His claim seems to be a far-fetched one, because he had never lost possession of his weapon. 

After Munisekhar and the other three constables came out of the premises through a small gate, Periyapandian had tried to run towards the bigger gate nearby, but it was locked. The police team which came out of the premises was not sure how to rescue Periyapandian, who was surrounded by the supporters of Nathuram and was stuck near the big gate. While Periyapandian was trying to climb over the big gate, the locals kept on assaulting him. That was when Munisekhar took out his gun and fired at them. The shot aimed at the supporters hit Periyapandian who collapsed near the gate. Though Munisekhar and others took Periyapandian to the nearest hospital, but it was too late. He took the bullet on his left chest and it had pieced through his lung, sources said here. 

Repeated attempts to contact Munisekhar failed, despite calls and WhatsApp messages to him. Though he had returned from Rajasthan, he is yet to join duty. Officials here said that he was on leave. 

City police have been maintaining a deafening silence over the issue for the last two weeks. No official clarification has come out from the Chennai police so far. Senior police officials, who talk off the record, are not ready to issue an official statement because the Rajasthan police is investigating the death of Periyapandian. 

Interestingly it was the Rajasthan police who first indicated that Munisekhar’s version of a gang member shooting Periyapandian was not true. Three days after the incident, Pali SP, citing forensic and ballistic reports, pointed fingers at Munisekhar and since then, the Chennai police has been waiting for a report from the Rajasthan police to take departmental action against Munisekhar, whose accidental firing killed his colleague. 

Despite all the hue and cry over the burglary and death of a police inspector, Nathuram, the main suspect in the Kolathur burglary case, is still at large. Meanwhile, members of the team which went with Periyapandian to Rajasthan met his widow Bhanurekha at Sankarankoil in Tirunelveli, a week ago. Sources said that team, which went on the orders from the Commissioner of Police, Chennai, explained the situation under which Periyapandian died. It may be noted that Bhanurekha sought for an inquiry in to the death of her husband after various theories started doing the rounds.

It all started with Nathuram and his associates walking away with 3.5 kg gold, 4.5 kg sliver and Rs.2 lakh cash from a jewellery shop located on the ground floor of the building in Kolathur, after drilling a hole on the roof from the first-floor room, which was taken for rent by the gang claiming that they wanted to set up a clothes shop. Police identified the suspects with the help of the CCTV camera footage recorded at a showroom adjacent to the Mahalakshmi jewellery showroom, from where the valuables were looted. “The suspects had drilled the hole from the floor of the shop they had taken for rent, entered the jewellery shop when the staff and owner were away for lunch. The owner of the shop, Mukesh Kumar, came to know about the burglary when he returned to the shop in the afternoon after lunch. By then, the intruders had taken away all the valuables stuffed in gunny bags,” police said.

Apart from the fact that the botched-up operation ended in the death of Inspector Periyapandian, the Chennai team went for the night raid without the assistance of the local police. It also appears that cops from the city had no idea about the landscape of the premises they entered, based on a tip- off from an informer, arranged by the jewellery shop owner. The Chennai team was not expecting so many people on the premises and had to retreat very fast, after the supporters of the suspect started attacking them. They went in civilian clothes, which created confusion over their identity.

Only after Rajasthan police despatch an official communication about the case accusing Munisekhar of the murder of Periyapandian, can the Chennai police start departmental action against him. Until then he would have to be on leave. Rajasthan police may book him under culpable homicide not amounting to murder. It is not clear if he will have to face any other legal action for lodging a complaint with facts that are not true.